The Poison of Apocalypse
by Goddess of Destiny
Summary: Psylocke has removed the Death persona from her once lover, Angel, but he wasn't the only one at the mercy of Apocalypse and cursed with a demon. There's a poison sitting in Gambit waiting to come out... but is it too late? Will Psylocke and Rogue bare scars for daring to touch hellfire in a quest for eternal love? Possible Romy
1. Chapter 1: Dreams of Sinners and Devils

**Summary**: Psylocke has removed the Death persona from her once lover, Angel, but he wasn't the only one at the mercy of Apocalypse and cursed with a demon. There's a poison sitting in Gambit waiting to come out... and it might already be starting. Already he is having nightmares of the black skinned, red eyed fiend threatening to take control again. Meanwhile, Psylocke and Rogue are having dark dreams of their own... There may very well be signs pointing to Apocalypse's return...

**Disclaimer: **Stan Lee created the X-Men, Claremont created Gambit... how can I compete with that?

**Author's Note: **So these possibilities have been swinging around in my noggin for awhile... since nobody is currently doing anything about Gambit's Death personal still knocking about. Also, I know most Rogue and Romy fans are pretty frustrated with the current path things are going... I finally decided to go ahead and write this since I figured there might be a demand for it.

Warning: I do not promise Romy. I won't ignore they have chemistry and history, however, unlike a certain comic book writer who will remain nameless... I'm pretty much a pure Remy fan. But I do promise to try and treat all characters with respect. I see no reason not to!

Let the Apocalypse begin!

* * *

The heady aroma of sweat and alcohol pressed in upon her face as she slipped through the hazy atmosphere of the night club. Music pulsed all around her, inside her. She felt like she had to keep just so it didn't take her over. Empty out her insides, leave her without her own will in the middle of people she couldn't reach.

She whipped her hair back and forth, body jerking to the beat. Her eyes were half closed, focusing on the almost lustful beat in her body, lips parted sensuously. Though she often ran into people, it did little to disturb her path, her dance. Her hands raised up above her head. She twirled, they twitched side to side, her ears no longer noting the song had ended.

And most nobody around cared enough to pay her attention. It wasn't an unusual occurrence, alcohol and drugs usually seeped into everybody's heads that the music did hardly matter. A bubbling, uncontrollable laugh spilled out of her mouth, unheard in the din of voices and the next song started. The whole world tilted, her arms coming down to give her balance as she staggered to the side.

Her shoulder bumped into somebody and they pushed her away.

Still laughing she lurched the opposite direction, shadows and lights dancing in her vision. She did her best to navigate the maze of darkness gathering around her. The laugh still bubbling in her chest coming out more desperate, fearful. Tears starting to claim her cheeks as she reached out to slightly lighter patches. Fingers clawing into people's shirts and hair only for her to get pushed off.

"I want more…" she said, her voice gravelly. Wretched and hungry, nothing like the chiming laugh she'd had before. Her bones hardened, tightened, seemed to crack under unseen pressure beneath her skin. She just continued to stumble and claw for people, her arms and fingers moving far too erratically. "Please, please… I want… want it…"

Her chest seized as her ribs seemed to buckle inward. Her feet stopped only love enough for her to heave, dark red blood bubbling out of her mouth. People stepped back, eyes on her warily but nobody quite sure if it was anything to be concerned about. Overdosed dances weren't entirely uncommon.

But she let out a rattling breath, panting out repeatedly the words "I want more" as she stumbled through her pile of sick. Her right arm seemed to hang loose from the socket, flinging around of its own volition. Her ankle snapped and she tumbled to the ground. Screams went out at this time but none of them got into her muddled brain.

She was still reached out with her left hand, fingernails digging into the floor to pull her along. Trying to move her closer to something. Her chest convulsed again, her vision going red…

And then leaving entirely.

An alarm had been pulled and people were hurrying to leave. Nobody was there to hear the last word bubbling out of her lips.

"Apocalypse…"

Xxx

Sometimes things hit him that made Remy remember why he liked getting away from his place. That reminded him that for all the good the X-Men did, it wasn't always good for the X-Men. This life had a way of chewing you up, spitting you back out and then letting you know that you'd also been filled with poison. Which was ticking away in your system, slowly working to destroy you unless you found something to hold on to.

Yeah, Remy had been through that song and dance a time too many. Still he didn't go away because that had always been his life, even before the X-Men. But it was only here with the X-Men that he had a chance to find that thing to hold on to.

Scratch that. He'd found it – or rather her – already. Just had to re-convince her to let him on.

But that wasn't where his mind was at right now as he walked across the grounds. He tossed the apple he'd brought from his apartment as breakfast up and down in the air. His red on black eyes were looking at the form of Betsy Braddock leaning against the tree. He followed her violet eyed gaze up into the sky where Warren Worthington was flying around.

Ever since he'd come here, mind erased, Warren had enjoyed flying greatly. Not that Remy paid him much attention, mind. But he had noticed. Also took a look see through some of the files dear old Headmaster Wolvie didn't want flipped through. Got the gist of it real easy.

Archangel took control. Almost brought Apocalypse back. Betsy erased Archangel and Warren with him. No Apocalypse but apparently a boy that could grow up _into_ Apocalypse.

Yeah, that didn't hit just a little too close to home or anything.

"Bets…" Remy said conversationally, sidling up closer to the woman. Of course he took a moment to let his gaze wander over her firm, muscled body. From her elegant neck to her rippling thighs. Though a flash in her violet eyes let him know she knew he was looking and she didn't appreciate it.

Remy shrugged and grasped the apple firmly, taking a bite. Wasn't like he'd been trying to be subtle and he was a gentleman, he wasn't going to try anything.

"How'd you sleep last night, Gambit?" Betsy said coldly.

His skin chilled though he managed to keep his posture the same. Chewing at the apple leisurely and slipping one hand in his pocket. Like he was thinking about it. Or interested in her tone, though to be honest Remy wasn't perturbed by it. Working in X-Force rather did this to you. Made you cold and empty inside. Remy had been there..

It was more of her accusation that disturbed him. Like she could know… Psychic or not, Remy usually stayed at his own apartment away from this type of thing. And while he wasn't entirely sure where X-Force bunked, he knew it wasn't anywhere close to here. Couldn't have it showing up on the school's radar after all. It was supposed to be disbanded but apparently Logan had a problem following orders.

Couldn't really fault Wolvie for that.

But Betsy was rather suggesting she knew Remy had some pretty awful dreams last night. Not that sleeping fitfully was an uncommon occurrence for him. But he'd put quite a bit of distance on the things that used to keep him up at night.

And then last night…

'It' hadn't made an appearance in months. Not since Limbo. Then last night it had come into his dreams, trying to overpower him.

This life really had a way of reminding you of that poison in your system. Remy could really kill for a cigarette right now…

"That's what I thought," Betsy said in a low voice. They both stood there watching Warren pull a couple more loops, Remy continuing to eat his apple though his appetite was completely gone. He didn't want to think of how he'd shared with Betsy the truth without saying anything… but he also found he didn't mind. Not as much as he thought he would.

Last time she'd been aware of one of his secrets she'd kept it rather to herself. That'd been years and years ago. Now Betsy was keeping several secrets of her own and grown colder with them. Remy doubted she'd be saying anything to anybody any time soon. If at all.

Warren landed, running a hand through his air and grinning wildly. He seemed to notice Betsy and Remy, waving toward them.

Remy felt Betsy shift beside him, disengaging from the spot and starting to walk away.

"Not going to ask Warren if he slept well?" Remy laughed humorlessly.

"No." The tone of her voice drew Remy's eyes toward her back. Watching her slink away, dark hair waving behind her. "I already know. He slept like an angel. Only sinners and devils can't sleep, Remy."

"Yeah…" Remy murmured, frowning now at her.

He felt concerned. Eyes sinking down to the apple in his head and wondering. He'd thought it had just been a dream. The way awful things dredged up in his subconscious every so often and kept him painfully from sleep. It wasn't uncommon.

But now he wasn't too sure.

Because he didn't feel like Betsy was using a turn of phrase. Her meaning was a bit more than that. Only she and Remy had to deal with a sleepless night. Because only she and Remy still had that evil in their minds. Warren had been purged. He was exempt.

It wasn't a comforting thought. Because anybody they might turn to for help could end up infected as well. But if not dealt with, people could end up hurt anyways.

Remy took a step back, heel sinking into the grass. Then in a fluid moment he turned and left, coat fluttering behind him. If they couldn't help, Remy had no point in being here. Like most things in his life, he'd just have to deal with it alone.

* * *

**AN: **Already begun working on chapter two so hopefully will have that up in a day or two. R&R my peeps. It appeases the almighty Goddess of Destiny. Please and thank you ^_^


	2. Chapter 2: All Things End

**Disclaimer: **I work only with the materials created by others. There will be no OCs running about this fic, just enjoy my take on other's characters.

**AN: **I forgot to mention last chapter that I'm pretty much ignoring the AvX part of the Marvel Universe. Though pretty much everything else I'm trying to keep comic book consistent. At the same time I am not one of those lucky souls that has read every single X-Men comic ever and I have some holes in my knowledge base. Forgive me, but I'm going to act like I know what I'm talking about regardless.

Now on with the Apocalypse!

* * *

There was a great darkness all around her and she was flying desperately from it. Footsteps pounding ominously behind her, as she fled at inhuman speeds. Trying to escape the equally, if not more so, inhuman man behind her.

No. Not flying. She couldn't fly anymore.

Still she ran until her very lungs might rip and bleed from the exertion. Her own little desperate pants reverberated in her ears, urging her onward. Usually those sort of frightened cries were signs of another person in trouble, needing her help. She'd do anything in her power to come to the troubled person's rescue… but this time it was only her.

And the light at the end of the claustrophobically dark hallway was just a taunting beacon. Telling her she might get out… But as the glowing square refused to get any larger she knew, with dread, that she'd never reach it.

A scream tore from her throat as knives flew past her left side, one slitting into the material of her shirt. The stinging pain and dripping blood were the least of her concerns as she flung herself to the side, shoulder hitting wall. Her frightened eyes probed the darkness, picking out the silhouette of a tall winged man, skin midnight blue.

She would run. She would fight. She would do everything in her power to keep the man away from her… But all she felt capable of doing was trembling. Tears burst up into her eyes as the being stepped toward her, the palpitations in her chest frantic.

"All things must die."

The haunted, pained voice was accompanied by a twisting sneer on the man's face as she pressed her back against the wall. Hoping she might yet escape in some corner of her mind when all she really could do was panic. Fear spiked in her chest, somehow familiar in its essence, like she'd done this before, as the man stepped forward.

A hand encircled her neck, skin black as pitch. A gleaming white grin kept her attention to the face, which had changed. There, too, the skin was black and the eyes burned a hellish red and the entire picture framed by white hair. The palm pressed against her throat and she choked for breath, feet scrambling to gain a purchase to throw him off. To break the suffocating grip. To escape.

"All t'ings…"

She gasped for breath, lungs fiery from the lack of oxygen. Sobs of panic wracked her body as she kept scrambling from a foothold. Like she could back away from the crushing blow around her neck, her desperate, rasping breaths sounding like death themselves in her ears. Her vision was going dark, eyes rolling into the back of her head.

Still she fought, numbed fingers digging into the skin of his hand. A pained whimper was her last release as every nerve in her body cried out for the lack of nourishing oxygen. Her vision clouded over with the terrible relief of everything ending, her only escape from this terrible atrocity being the one thing that let them win!

Rogue was almost surprised when she was actually able to scream, sitting up in her bed in a soaked mess of sweat and tears. She let the scream taper off into a bit of a sob, squeezing her eyes shut and leaning forward. Her shoulders and arms trembling from the dream that had felt more than that. Like a parasitic psyche nestled dirtily in the recesses of her brain and attempting to do her real damage.

She'd never been so scared in all her life. That feeling of her own mind turned against her… it was just like nothing on Earth. And there was hardly a soul out there that could understand it, too. Only Rogue had been cursed with the skin that drained people's very life force when she touched them, leaving a sliver of them behind in her mind. A sliver if she was lucky…

It took a couple more seconds before she was staring down at her hands, recalling that she need no concern herself about that anymore. She had control. People no longer sat like nosy, unwelcomed guests in her head. They flit in only when she allowed herself to take another mutants power and were just as soon gone again when an invisible timer went off.

The result was more peaceful. And as such, Rogue had nearly forgotten the pounding pressure of an unhappy psyche in her mind.

_But it was jus' a dream!_

She couldn't quite get herself to believe it, though, as she flung her legs over the side of the bed to plod across the room to the bathroom. The sink whined into action, pouring crystalline water into Rogue's hands before splashing onto the woman's face. It was cool and refreshing, but all in all, Rogue still felt like a mess. Her mind still couldn't quite escape that feeling that another presence was in there. Biding its time.

It just couldn't be, though! The Professor wiped the psyches from her mind, broke down the barriers so that she could control her power. Let her touch without draining that person that she contacted skin to skin. She'd tested it, even, on Remy… on…

Her green eyes downcast at the thought. She hadn't gone over that moment in her mind in quite some time. It had seemed enough that the theory worked in practice. And maybe at the time she'd been just a little pleased to finally kiss Remy without anything in between them. Of their complete and utter control. Not because her power had been placed inert, but because she kept back the flow of his powers into her head.

Then it suddenly hadn't felt right anymore. Because as it always were… something was between them. Rogue just couldn't place a finger on it.

The phone to the hotel room rang suddenly, breaking her from her thoughts. Rogue huffed a little in annoyance, stomping out to get a good look at the read on the alarm clock.

"And who would this be, calling me at five in tha morning," Rogue grumbled to herself, plucking the handheld up and keeping herself from any of her nasty greetings. Instead she stood there, teeth grit and waiting to see if it was important enough the other person would speak to a quiet line.

'Sides, she might be a might paranoid. Didn't want whoever it was knowing it was definitely Rogue until she knew who it was calling!

"I've actually located a coffee stand catering at this time of morning," Magneto's terse tone broke crisply through Rogue's mood. His careful indifference actually brought a bit of a smile to her face, though she'd sooner die than let it on to him. "Should I fetch you something, since you are clearly up?"

"And how do ya know I ain't about to just roll back over and get back to sleep?" Rogue said coyly, finger curling in the telephone wire

"Because you're just as concerned as I am," Magneto said. He held absolutely no playfulness in his voice nor did it seem at all wise to continue in this vein of mood the way he spoke. Always so serious, this one.

Rogue sighed, still cradling the phone to her ear. She supposed he was right to remain serious and he was correct in assuming her concern. Well, less of an assumption really as she pretty much said as much. Demanding that Scott and Utopia stay out of this one and rushing to Seattle herself without so much as a 'how do you do' to Logan.

He'd agree with the urgency of the matter. It wasn't everyday a mutant kid turned up dead. Even more unusual when it was one that Cerebra had never noticed before until the moment she died. Like her X-gene kicked into life at the last second to futilely try and save her from death. Yet there was no sign of a struggle or anything malicious. She'd simply dropped dead in a club.

Scott felt it was prerogative to investigate. Protect the world of mutants from everything else and all that. He'd turn this into a tick toward starting war. Didn't that sound like somebody else they knew?

Magneto, on the other hand, actually viewed this with slightly the same sentiment as Rogue for once. That since it was a child whose power just appeared, it ought to be under the school's jurisdiction. Either that or he liked the excuse to see her on neutral ground. Though she might be hoping for a bit much on that one. Didn't hurt a girl to like a bit of romanticism every once and awhile, even from a stern and controlling man like Magnus.

"Besides, I'm not the one that woke you," Magneto continued in surprising softer tones. "Is there something else to worry about?"

Concern? From the Master of Magnetism? Something had to be off!

"Yau're not Mystique in disguise or nothing?" Rogue said suspiciously.

"I hardly think so." He was back to the more familiar, clipped tone. Back to business. It was almost relieving. "Coffee, my dear?"

"Yes please," Rogue said in a low voice. Glad that this was not a man that pushed on personal matters, that she wouldn't have to share her dream. "Black. Bring some cream and sugah."

"In the city of coffee," Magnus muttered under his breath, "and she wants it black." Still she heard him repeat the order as well as his own cappuccino order.

"Ah'll be ready by tha time ya get here," Rogue said when she was sure that was done. Enjoying just for a second the muttering of her long distance lover. It wasn't quite playful but it said a lot that he shared some of his thoughts in an undertone to her.

"See that you are."

The phone cut out and Rogue pulled the handheld back to give it a bit of a knowing smirk. Magnus was a man completely dissatisfied with intimacy over the phone. Hell, he wasn't really a man prone to intimacy in the slightest. So what he did share, he tried to do properly. His rudeness in hanging up only solidified that further in Rogue's mind and she crept gratefully to the shower.

* * *

**AN: **I will point out that I am not a fan of Rogue/Magneto. But as I am trying to keep comic book canon I am rather forced to deal with them. And deal with them the way they are until it actually makes sense for things to start changing. That being said I am trying to make both more in character than the serious OOCness they've been suffering from in X-Men Legacy lately. Hopefully you feel that this has been done. Please R&R. It pleases the Goddess of Destiny greatly


	3. Chapter 3: Darker Sides of Reputations

**Disclaimer: **I still own nothing. Also, I've never written Cecilia Reyes before. All I know about her I've read from X-23 and Astonishing X-Men, which isn't much. Any Cece fans out there reading this forgive any oocness but feel free to correct any seriously bad information I have

* * *

It's a 'out of the corner of your eye' type of thing. Usually. And quite possibly everybody has their own demon that tags along in the periphery. Just some are more aware of it than others. A certain amount of innocence keeps some people from noticing it at all.

But he wasn't so lucky. He'd never been that lucky.

And right now he was staring at it straight on, chest contracting. Looking at the reflection of it in the television screen. What ought to be his own reflection was instead that disgusting evil thing. Staring out of too-red eyes that made his stomach clench. Reminded him of other, disgusting eyes from a long-ago past. And not so long ago…

Except these ones were a reflection of his own soul. They looked right into his very core and laughed at the fact that he might try to hide from it all. It was time, they said, to just give in…

Remy's grip around his deck of cards was so tight he was starting to lose the feeling to some of his fingers. But what could he do, really? Attack his own television because he didn't like what he saw? Probably just imagining things, his own nightmares playing tricks on him. But he'd been ill at ease all day since his talk with Betsy. Shuffling and fidgeting with his cards like he expected to get attacked all day…

Then he'd noticed it. At first he thought it was a trick of the light. Sometimes the red iris of his eyes shone a little brighter and the television screen was dark. It could make his skin look black…

But after a third pass through the living room, he'd locked eyes with the reflection and it didn't really seem to matter whether he was actually seeing it or not. His insides squirmed enough to know that something about all of this was real enough.

His door burst open, though, and Remy's attention was drawn from his internal turmoil. He had begun to lift a card to charge it, turning to see what danger he was about to deal with. Wasn't unusual for fights to break their way, unannounced, into what was supposed to be private living quarters. Was the sort of thing you got used to, living as an X-Man.

It wasn't, however, some villain breaking down the door or even just a scuffle of disagreeable super beings that took their arguing a bit far. Instead Dr. Cecilia Reyes was storming into the apartment like she owned the place and going immediately for Remy's cabinets. He raised an eyebrow, mostly to himself as the woman in question noticed him about as much as she would the furniture.

Moving slowly, Remy moved over to is front door to shut it properly again. Eyes completely on Cecilia who was pouring herself a drink of Remy's favorite bourbon. Before she could lift it, Remy swooped it and snatched it from her grasp, holding it above his head and giving her a look. Couldn't help but question himself on when he became the responsible one, though…

"Chere," Remy chuckled. "Just because I said y'could use my apartment doesn't mean y'can pilfer my bourbon."

"Give me the glass, Gambit." Cece's eyes flashed. But beneath the anger it was easy to discern the pain and fear it was trying to cover.

"Touchy," Remy said, tapping a finger on the glass. "Bad day at work?"

Whatever it was, Cecilia wasn't talking. But she gave up her attempts on the bourbon, turning from Remy slightly to cross her arms over her stomach, hands grasping her opposite elbows. Something, it seemed, was hurting the woman real bad. But despite a couple of dates, Remy wasn't as of yet as close to the doctor as… well, he wasn't really close to anybody these days. But certainly there were those that knew him better than others, that he'd like to think trusted him.

Could never really be sure. But the simple fact of the matter was that Remy knew how to comfort Rogue, through years of experience and opening up to one another. Even now when they were nothing but 'friends' and she was dating Magneto, Remy knew what to do for her when she was in a mood.

He didn't have that with Cece. Though right now he really wished he did. And he found himself rather hating his closeness with Rogue right then because it did nothing but feed doubts. When he ought to be confident and sure of himself, soothing things over for the woman standing in his kitchen obviously looking for something to soothe the hurt.

Cool, confident, smooth… Remy was the epitome of these things. He ought to be. But in a whirl of other emotions and thoughts it was something Remy actually struggled with. Especially when it came to somebody he cared about. Still, he sighed and set the glass down, walking around the counter to put his arm around the woman's shoulders.

"Course yo' welcome to relax here, Chere," Remy murmured, leading her to the couch. "Just let me get some music going and find somet'in bit more appropriate for the occasion den bourbon."

He topped it all off with a wink. Cecilia rolled her eyes at the act but didn't push or argue against the entire thing. She spoke up only to turn down the first two artists Remy tried to play before giving in with an indifferent 'hmph' to the third. The whole thing actually brought a chuckle to Remy and he'd quite forgotten about his reflection in the television by the time he was returning with two glasses of wine. He didn't usually drink the stuff, but it seemed like the thing to do tonight.

After a few sips, conversation flowed quite easily out of Cecilia. She began talking about work, in fact, going on about a few repeat patients and some nurse gossip. By now Remy even recognized some of the names and asked follow up questions on some stories he'd heard before. He let the atmosphere get cozy, and actually found himself refilling their drinks. Hadn't realized he'd actually drunk that much, caught up as he was in paying attention to Cece.

Midway through her telling a story about one of the nurse's getting caught making out with a patient's husband, Remy pulled her legs into his lap. It put a slight hitch in her exuberant story telling but she otherwise continued. Letting Remy rest his hand slightly above one of her knees, though he kept rapt attention on her story.

"And then there was the girl…"

Her tone dropped and with it came Remy's frown. He was hardly aware of it and didn't do anything to mask the concern in his eyes as he waited for Cece to continue. This, he was sure, connected to the reason why she was here in the first place.

But her eyes drifted down away from Remy and soon she was reaching out to pour out a third glass of wine. He, in turn, set down his mostly finished second glass, debating for a moment whether to push. If Cece didn't want to tell him, he ought to respect that. And he would. But sometimes people needed to be asked. To know that they were settling their problems on unwanting ears.

Remy reached out and cupped Cecilia's chin and turn her head to look at him. The red of his eyes dulling into the black as he searched for words to let her know this was a safe place. But before he could, warm lips were claiming his and Cece's inviting body was pressing in closer. After an initial heartbeat of surprise, Remy responded in kind, arm wrapping around her waist while deepening the kiss. It went on for awhile, their limbs tangling together while both were only simply aware of a rising heat.

Then pure red eyes flashed in Remy's mind and he turned his head away with a bit of a hiss.

"Did I hurt you?" Cece asked, her voice still breathy from the kiss.

"Non…"

"Then am I really that terrible of a kisser? Because I didn't think—"

Remy raised a hand to cut her off, regaining his own breath before he looked back up at her. Like a serpent, something rose up inside of him demanding to return to what had been started and Remy shifted back on the couch, trying to shut it out.

"It's not dat," Remy said tightly. And he couldn't quite explain what it actually was that was keeping him from continuing. There was just a general feeling of wrongness to it. "Desole."

"Hmph…"

Cecelia turned on the couch to sit on it properly, legs leaving Remy's immediate vicinity altogether as she went back to her glass of wine. Back hunching as she stared at the table disgustedly. It cause a small spike of guilt in Remy's gut, that he was probably the cause of a bit of that look. Though he probably deserved it. Still, it seemed strange to be getting revulsion for pulling away when often times he received it for going too far.

How the tables had turned in his life.

He became aware that the music had stopped playing at some point in the silence. Probably because the lack of it caused the pounding of his headache to intensify. Though he couldn't pinpoint when exactly that had started… He had a feeling it was before Cecilia had arrived, however. He just hadn't had space to noticed and examine it until now.

"Why are y'here, Chere?" Remy asked. Breaking into the silence and hoping he could fix at least one part of this mess. Since it certainly wasn't going to be his headache anytime soon.

"Your apartment is close to the hospital," Cece started out, sounding reasonable enough. "And I could use a distraction. A safe place to be… And… you're you…" She actually looked up at that last bit, giving him a suggestive look and waving a hand to take in his chest.

Right. That sort of distraction.

Reputations. They bit you in the ass every time. Though how _that_ one managed to get to Remy, he might never know. But today it just simply sat wrong. He didn't want it like that with Cecilia.

Remy reached out and put a gentle hand over hers. "Y'can take de bed," he said quietly. "I don't mind sleepin on de couch. Tomorrow be a new day."

She threw his hand off, though he half expected it and withdrew at pretty much the same time. Though the woman lost her vehement attitude almost immediately. It was an act. An act to save her pride. Because when had anybody ever heard of Remy LeBeau turning down a beautiful woman practically throwing herself at him.

But Cece was a friend and he couldn't in good conscious do that to a person who was obviously hurt. It didn't seem right.

"Cece," Remy spoke up again. Cautiously, not sure if it was safe to bring it up, but it had piqued his curiosity. "What about de girl?"

"Not tonight Remy," Cecilia whispered, looking down at the table darkly as she stood up. She finished her glass of wine and set it down as she walked around the coffee table toward the bedroom. "Just tonight I'd like to pretend I can leave this job without it catching up with me."

The frown Remy had been using on and off all night came back deeper than before. He had a feeling that they weren't talking about being a doctor. Not in the usual, mundane sense. More than that, he didn't like seeing the effects whatever this was had on his friend. He wanted to be able to comfort her but was at a loss of how to do so without coming off as… well, his usual self.

He eventually settled on standing up and walked closer to her. Putting a comfortable distance between them before reaching out to grasp Cecilia's hand, rubbing his thumb over the back of it. Cece's eyes shut as the two people stood in silence, gently holding hands. There was a strange intimacy in the slight touch. More in the way they knew it drew them closer together even if they stood apart.

Then Remy lifted her hand and brushed a soft kiss to the back of it. Feeling her soft kiss and glad that the softly burning fire it sparked in his chest was his alone. No damn demons lurking inside.

"I be here when y'wake up," Remy said softly, dropping her hand finally.

A small smile crept on the woman's face before she entered the room and shut the door. And for a second a hint of playfulness caught Remy, and he leaned against the door. Making out the sounds of her removing clothing and making a game of guessing which items were being shed. Closing his eyes to picture the blankets of his bed being pulled back and her slender body slipping down into them. He imagined her placing her nose to the pillow and grinning at the scent of him before rolling over to sleep comfortably.

Then Remy pulled back, remembering the far more serious matter unfolding. He looked around the apartment quickly, like he expected something to be lurking in a corner. Then grabbing up his trench coat, he slipped out his own window and climbed gracefully to the alley below. He straightened up from his landing and put his coat on, starting to head in the direction of the hospital.

He'd save Cecilia from having to share whatever horrible thing made her flee the sight. If Remy couldn't sneak into a hospital and find what he needed then he ought to renounce his title of Prince of Thieves.

Besides, he had this sinking suspicion it was dreadfully important. And rather attached to some terrible dreams he – and likely Betsy as well – had been having as of late…

* * *

**AN: **So I tried to start this chapter off with that sort of vague, almost creep-esque style that the last two started out with almost accidentally. But didn't really have very good inspiration. I only really have a vague sense of where I'm taking this fanfic... I guess you could say this is in part just a huge character study.

Also want to apologize for my mistypes galore. I really am a great speller and quite versed in grammar... I've just been suffering from huge bouts of insomnia, the main reason why I'm writing a fanfic. Gives me something to do with my brain.

Thanks for the reviews so far guys! JasmineBella, Alisx123 - GambitRemy, and PsyKnight thanks for the praise.

Marigab: I also like the idea of it just being a part of Remy so likely that will end up coming into play in the fanfic. But I don't know yet so I don't think I'm really spoiling anything. And likely this won't be a full out Romy fic, but I can't deny their history and chemistry. So with the way I see the plot going, they're going to be forced into the same room together eventually and I will actually acknowledge these things with the characters.

Tim: I'm glad you think I keep people in character. I try rather hard and, yes, I too am dissapointed with recent comics that put people ooc.

Keep reading and reviewing guys! They please the Goddess of Destiny greatly


	4. Chapter 4: A Toneless Scream

**Disclaimer: **Other than the current plot, all things belong to Marvel. Though the timeline of more recent events mentioned in the chapter aren't taken concretely from the comics. I wiggled them around a bit to serve my purposes.

**AN: **This is a bit of a... I don't want to say 'filler' chapter. More like a bridging, pulling together elements that I've started to introduce in the other chapters to start up a more straightforward plot. Also... if you haven't noticed yet, I really like changing point of views. That being said, I think this will be the last character introduced to the plot. I don't want to overwhelm you with far too many characters to keep up with. And never fear, Gambit is our main character, I promise

* * *

The room was a wash of energy, ember like fractures glowing through the floor and wall. Crisscrossing and giving the entire place an eerie bottom-of-a-volcano feel. Despite the pulsing orange glow, the room was colder than oblivion.

The only place untouched by the unusual energy residue was a section of the floor. Where a young girl had sat, crying and screaming tonelessly. Her face a wash of tears as she rocked back and forth, her back crawling with angry burns. Machines had been beeping, doctors and nurses shouting at each other as they ran back and forth. Questioning the matter, hollering in fear, and finally some screaming in pain as the child's energy suddenly burst forth.

It was all quiet now. Four bodies had been carried out of hospital room, most identifiable only through their name badges. There'd been nothing remaining of the girl. Save for the security recording that witnessed her final moments. Even catching her bone chilling final scream.

Logan snarled and threw the file he'd been trying to read down on the hospital bed. He'd been over the footage, seen all the bodies, been up and down this hospital a hundred times. And he still wasn't entirely sure who to call in on this. X-Force barely existed at the moment but really were about finding threats before they became noticed.

He wasn't even sure what the threat was here! Or if this had just been a onetime thing… A poor deaf, African-American girl whose mutant power manifested only to destroy herself. In which case there was nothing to do but let her parents mourn and move the hell on.

Just didn't seem possible. Only one new mutant in all the world suddenly and she eventually perished from it? Logan didn't buy it. He needed some sort of other explanation for it but it simply wasn't coming!

Footsteps drew Logan out of dwelling on his frustration. He turned, hands in his hair to stare at his teammate Psylocke. Though it was rather interesting to see Betsy Braddock out of her X-Force uniform and in civies instead. It looked like the tan pencil skirt and matching suit vest was something that came out of Kitty's closet. Betsy still managed to wear it with class, looking just as deadly as she did with a sword strapped to her back.

Silently she passed into the room and picked up the file Logan had discarded, adding it to the others in her arms. There wasn't much Betsy said these days, choosing instead to walk around in a cold silence. Everything needed to be said and more she could pick up from their thoughts. And apparently none of it was important enough for her to respond in most cases.

"Logan…" She said it questioningly, arms hugging the files to her chest and violet eyes downcast to the floor. He was almost beginning to think she didn't know how to speak. "I've got contact with Rogue."

Another snarl started in his chest. He'd had a good shouting match with her earlier in the day when he found out she was gone. Not just gone but out in Seattle because of something Summers had picked up. With Magneto no less!

_"If ya want to see yer boyfriend, fine," Logan had snapped into the phone when she called. "But do it on yer own time and resources!"_

_"Logan, yau're not listening to me! This ain't about Magnus _or_ Scott!"_

_"No, yer right. This is about ya not listening to me and me questioning whether I can trust ya to pull through fer yer team!"_

_"Well, that's rich comin' from tha Wolverine," Rogue snarked._

_"Dammit Rogue, I don't have time fer this. Don't come back until yer certain ya can act like an adult. It's disappointing that yer still the one acting like a child," he'd said, slamming the phone back on the receiver._

He hadn't been so cross with the kid in years, really. No, she was usually sticking it to Summers which actually made Logan quite proud. They shared beers every so often but hadn't really managed a lot of 'bonding' time. Not since she'd been younger, scared of her own powers and still struggling to grow up knowing she could never touch anybody.

Didn't think the damn Cajun helped it all that much either.

But they'd definitely grown apart, Logan and Rogue, especially when she did gain control of her powers. He'd been rather surprised when she agreed to come to New York to help set up the school. Though seeing her with the students made it make more sense. Like they'd come full circle finally. Rogue had grown up into a mature, stable woman who could help bring about that growth in other unsure, scared children.

And then she started going behind his back. Making calls on shit that interfered and sometimes was damaging to what Logan was trying to accomplish. Dealing with Utopia like she knew better than him, just because she was dating a member of Summer's Extinction Crew or what have ya.

It'd come to the last straw this time.

But Logan did regret losing his temper with her. Seemed like almost any time somebody disagreed with Rogue, however, it always ended up as a yelling match. With the Southern Gal making sure her shouts were just a bit louder than the last one.

Not that fights weren't numerous amongst their company uninvolving Rogue. Certainly Logan brought a fair many upon himself that he couldn't help escalating. It was just rare to see Rogue in a fight that didn't involve shouting. She became immediately defensive and unreasonable.

Seemed familiar… But then again, there was only so much Logan could forgive the girl just because she seemed a lot like him.

"Yeah, what's she want?" Logan growled, scratching the top of his head.

**"So tha girl that died here in Seattle,"** Rogue's voice spoke up in their minds without any preamble. **"She was born blind."**

**"Fascinating,"** Logan thought dryly. Getting anxious and starting to pace the room again, like he might have missed some scent or sight the last twenty times he'd been through it. **"I bet yer about to tell me why that's ever so important."**

He could just imagine Rogue puffing up, holding her breath for a second while she filled her lungs with the necessary oxygen to start yelling. Sure, Logan could have kept his frustration out of the conversation – she'd certainly been trying – but he was annoyed. Annoyed with her and annoyed with this case. Annoyed with the whole state of things…

And he hadn't had a chance to drink a damn beer yet.

**"She had surgery, Logan!"** Rogue grumbled. Apparently her self-righteousness at her discovery was enough to push through the initial arguing. They could squabble later… Yeah right. Like Logan would let it go on long enough for that. **"Received new eyes and this experimental medication to keep from rejecting them. She died a week later. Betsy says yaur girl died in a hospital…?"**

That was the damn connection? Logan grunted and turned hard eyes on Psylocke. But she wasn't paying attention to the annoyed feral, simply flipping through the file he'd been peering at earlier.

**"She was deaf," **Logan cut in suddenly. The tiny fact wiggling up in his brain before Betsy had a chance to find it. He remembered it because he'd noticed the toneless way the girl wailed in the video and it seemed sad that, with her eyes all scrunched up in pain, there'd been no way to comfort the girl in her last moments. She was literally deaf to all soothing comments. **"Recovering from surgery… but the implants didn't work, Rogue. So I don't-"**

**"Ah don't either, Logan. But it's tha best we got. We can't give up on these girls just because they're dead…"**

There was little anger left in her thoughts. Just a heartbreakingly sincere plead for him to understand. That for some reason she needed to do this. Logan sighed and ran a hand down his face.

**"I want updates every twenty-four hours. But…"** He glanced at Psylocke who nodded at the still incomplete thoughts wavering in his mind. That she could pick out but hadn't quite been transmitted to Rogue yet. **"Whatever ya need, Rogue, we'll be sure to supply it."**

**"Ah'll talk ta ya soon then."**

Another mutant girl died in Seattle… For some reason those specifics had slipped Logan's mind during his mad dash to berate Rogue for running off. For going behind his back again. Sometimes he really was a little too thick headed for this job. Thank god Kitty was so damn thoughtful and politically correct. She smoothed things over that he made a bungle of.

"Betsy…" Logan said lowly, eyes searching the floor. Before looking up at the woman he'd like to consider a friend… but was too afraid it was his fault she'd been over this cold edge and that he couldn't claim that right anymore. "What happened here… shouldn't get out."

"Gas explosion it is then," Betsy said crisply, shutting the folder and turning around. The subtle violet hue of her powers glowing around her eyes as she reached out to effect the minds of those involved. She'd been interviewing most everybody all day. Likely leaving a slight connection with those involved in case Logan asked for something like this.

He rather hated that the job was so damn predictable.

And still they never quite expected it to ever claim one of their friends. Still, it did just that. First Warren's personality was lost and then Fantomex was murdered. Logan's list of friends was growing shorter.

Neither of them spoke a word as they travelled down the halls to the security room. Both knowing from experience that the next step was the physical evidence. Out of pure habit, they'd cased the area though they hadn't quite expected this to be coming. Logan was a mercenary, used to running for his life. And Betsy was a ninja assassin, used to working from the shadows.

It was hard to run an ordinary way of living when you were so used to being so down in the dirt. And the blood.

"Hold it," Logan grunted, grabbing Betsy's arm and pulling her back. "I smell somebody…"

"I don't sense…"

Whoever it was must have a way of getting off of telepath radar or something. Not completely unusual, but the fact that Bets did pick it up eventually meant it wasn't strong. Or they weren't actively working to block out psychics. Meant the rest of their guard wasn't likely up either. Good. Logan was in the mood for things to be quick.

He kept his claws back, punching his way into the room. There was a rustle of a brown coat but Logan didn't pay attention until his hand had a firm grip on the man's shirt and he was good and pinned against the wall.

"Don't really swing dis way, mon ami," the Cajun's distinct voice met Logan's ears. "Besides, even if I did, I'm already here to surprise a certain lady friend. Can't really be runnin somet'ing on de side when I'm already in a rush, no?"

The infuriating man winked up at Logan, completely unalarmed to be pinned to a wall by Wolverine. Then again, it wasn't the first time Gambit had been on this side of Logan's fury. And at least half the time, claws had been involved. Logan growled in annoyance but backed off just as Betsy slipped into the room, shutting the door behind her.

"What are ya doing here, Gumbo?" Logan grumbled, crossing his arms. But it didn't really surprise him. Gambit seemed to have a habit of turning up exactly in their way at the wrong time. Doing things in his own way which always seemed to be at odds with the X-Men.

"Like I said, surprising a lady friend," Gambit snickered, straightening out his coat. "She works here and apparently had a rather stressful day. T'ought I'd see about getting her a little extra vacation time, if y'know what I mean."

Logan scoffed. Though he wouldn't be surprised if it was a lie… Though it was flamboyant enough to be the Cajun's style. Struck Logan wrong that they'd find Gambit here at the exact same time they were trying to wipe records. He was a professional thief and it wasn't unheard of Gambit to flip over to less savory types if they waved a big enough check around and promised a little adventure.

Gambit probably got more restless than Logan did. And that was saying something.

"Cecilia Reyes," Psylocke said slowly. "Was she…"

For one second, Logan thought he saw a dangerous look come over Gambit's face, red eyes flashing to Psylocke's face. Then it passed and the Cajun was smirking, eyes dancing merrily. But either way it went, the look cut Betsy off from what she was going to say. Though Gambit followed it up rather quickly with a statement.

"She's been at my place _all_ night."

Logan snorted. Yeah, he could smell the womanly scent on the Cajun. But strangely enough it wasn't _that_ all over him. For once Gambit was actually bluffing about a conquest. Guess stranger things could happen. Maybe Rogue running off to be with her magnetic lover took Gambit a little off his A-game. _There_ was a real shame.

"If dat's all, folks, I t'ink I'll be returning to my bed, non?" Gambit chuckled, side stepping out from between the wall and Logan. Coat swishing around his legs as he moved past the desk and to the open window.

When neither made a move to stop him, he laughed and gracefully hopped out the window. Once the Cajun was out of sight, Logan turned to look at Betsy, brow furrowing.

"Dr. Reyes was here during the incident, wasn't she?"

"She was gone before we arrived," Betsy said in a low voice. Moving to the computer but her shoulders stiff.

There was something she was keeping from him but Logan didn't feel the desire to push. It didn't seem right, noticing the grim line the woman's red lips formed. Beyond that… Cecilia had been an X-Man once. It seemed unlikely she'd agree to having her memory wiped and she wouldn't go around spreading the news. She was smarter than that. And frankly been through this type of experiences before.

If she told Gambit… Well, it didn't seem too off that the curious Cajun would come snooping around for his own clues.

Psylocke sighed and hung her head, dark hair curtaining in front of her face.

"He took the recording," Logan grumbled, eyes flashing to the window. "Didn't he."

"Yes."

Logan thought over the short event again. He'd caught Gambit at the computer, obviously downloading it then. Probably when he side stepped. The coat moving and blocking the quick movement of the thief's hand as he pick pocketed the disc. Simple. Yet clever.

"Make sure he doesn't sell it," Logan shrugged. "Otherwise there's no harm in him having it. He did our job for us. We should at least act like we're all on the same team until it becomes obvious we ain't."

He couldn't read Betsy's face as she looked up at him. Any other time, Logan was sure he would have read it as disgust. But that was before X-Force. Now he was certain the stone cold face actually read as relief. But he couldn't be sure, because he didn't know this Betsy as well as he'd like.

It was a mistake they all seemed to be making lately, though. Acting like they were all at odds because they did things differently. Sure, Logan wasn't a fan of people going behind his backs… but hadn't he just dealt with Kitty and Hank's ire when they found out about X-Force? Still they agreed to stay and run the school with him. Remained loyal to the fact that he was Headmaster.

Gambit had never really played by the rules before, and it usually served the Cajun well. So long as he wasn't caught up a creek without a paddle, Logan didn't see the harm. Besides that, what else did he expect of a girl calling herself 'Rogue' than for her to do things of her own accord?

Logan needed to really start believing in the strengths of his teammates and trust that they'd get the results they needed. Because any second now they could be relying on him to bail them out. And he wasn't letting any more friends down.

"Fancy a nightcap, Bets?" Logan said rather jovially, opening the door and waving for her to proceed him.

"Oh…" The woman blinked once, the only real sign that she was caught off guard. "Oh, I might as well…"

"At least yer dressed fer it, darlin'."

"Why Logan… that almost seemed like a compliment."

* * *

**AN: **Thanks for reading guys and I do hope that I'm doing these characters justice! I've been in a bit of a Logan mood lately, which is why he ended up taking over this chapter. I had planned on doing sneaky Remy but this seemed like a better idea. Rather drew all the relevant characters together.

Thanks for reviewing again Marigab! I'm glad the atmosphere of the story is coming across rather well. I don't usually write terror type stories but if just seems like the nature of the Death persona rather demands a darker theme. I'm also not usually a 'monster of the week' type writer either... so we'll see how I do with this entire thing I've decided to undertake. But really appreciate the continued support.

Please R&R folks (it inspires me to click on profiles and check out what other people are working on, if you know what I mean -lays out obvious bribe on the table to see if anybody picks it up-)


	5. Chapter 5: The Devil's Own Eyes

**Disclaimer: **One day I might become a comicbook writer... but even then I could never claim to own the X-Men

**AN: **I meant for this to be longer... But I'm rather hitting the dead part of my fanfic. The spot where I don't really know what I'm doing only the next stage I want to get the characters to. So my muse has rather died on me... But I pushed this out for you guys anyways

* * *

Some miles south of Seattle, its under belly sister city, Tacoma, sprawled out like an exhausted dog. Smelling of foul odors and though not towering with sky scrapers, moving at a cramped and ridiculous pace. Even with nightfall, the city only seemed to hiccup, spewing out drunken assholes and drugged up high schoolers. Abused children showing up in clumps to huddle in out of the way places.

All of which failed to notice the burgundy Buick passing along the streets, heading toward the coat. It came to a halt some miles from the passenger's final destination. But the walk was no trouble for the pair abandoning the parked car. Even with the sea wind misting them with the scent of salt and rotten fish. It was, they decided, a fair bit better than the exhaust and human waste heavily apparent further in the city.

The warehouse rose out of the darkness, standing on the edge of the coat. Metal roof rusted and the paint flaking from ruined walls of plank wood. It didn't seem like it had been in use in a long time, and yet this was where their sources pointed.

The side door was not only locked but looked like it hadn't been opened in years. But a simple lift of Magneto's hand had the lock and the bolts off, the door falling inward with a bang. Rogue gave her companion a distasteful look but didn't bring up her complaint. It was enough he saw her displeasure on her lips and if they alerted unpleasant sorts, all the better for proving her silent point.

Though she still would more than pleased if this stayed a silent operation. No attacks. No mishaps. No nothing!

But Rogue knew better than to expect anything more than the worse possible scenario and crept into the warehouse's dark and dusty interior. This she was suddenly more comfortable with. Sneaking into a possibly dangerous situation. Keeping herself alert in case of a fight of some sort. Knowing that any sort of anything could be attacking at any moment.

Much easier than talking to those parents…

_It was probably getting close to dinner time for most ordinary folks when Magnus pulled the car up at the curb. Rogue's stomach twisted a little, tugging and twisting at her gloves as she stared out the window. Taking in the lit window and the flashes of shadows as people moved past it._

_There seemed to be so much wrong with deciding to do this. Bother these people about their daughter's death. Ask them pressing questions just because… well, it might not just be their daughter. Another girl had died just today in New York._

_Still it took an almost commanding word from Magnus before she even undid her seatbelt. Pulling herself out of the car and up the walk way to knock on the door. It was easily agreed upon that she ought to be the one to do most of the speaking. Not that Magnus wasn't capable of being delicate, he just simply wasn't very warm about things._

_Whereas Rogue could sympathize. Having had several different types of people in her head gave her quite an understanding for those on the outside._

_"Mrs. Dean?" Rogue spoke to the woman who answered the door. There was only slight shock in the woman's eyes as she looked from Rogue to Magnus before she nodded wordlessly. "May we come in? We don't wish ta upset ya, but we have a few questions 'bout yaur daughter…"_

_Rogue could heard her heart pounding in her ears as she said the words. Certain that any distraught mother would slam the door in her face, not wishing to deal with bitter reality. Thinking it was cruel for a stranger to bring up one of the worst things that had to have happened to a mother. But just as wordlessly the woman stepped back from the door, granting them entrance._

_It did absolutely nothing to calm Rogue's nerves and her palms became itchy, sweat soaking into her gloves. They weren't quite necessary for her to wear, but Rogue preferred the precaution. Right now, though, she was rather regretting them._

_"Ah know this has to be hard for ya…" Rogue began, trying to broach into things quickly. Wanting it over and done with so she could stop bothering these poor people. _

_But Mrs. Dean was gesturing her toward the stairs. And after swallowing down a lump in her throat, Rogue stepped in that direction. Half way up the stairs, the woman seemed aware of the third set of feet on the stairs and turned to fix her eyes over Rogue's shoulder._

_"Can… Can he wait here?"_

_"Of course, ma'am," Magnus said graciously, retreating back down the steps._

_Getting separated, though, made Rogue chew on the thumb tip of her glove however. Suddenly feeling anxious and might bit paranoid. Certain that she was walking into some sort of trap._

_All that melted away when Mrs. Dean led Rogue into a bedroom that obviously belonged to a thirteen year old girl. A few posters lined the wall, a computer sat on idle in a corner, and several books were piled near the bed. After a few hesitating seconds, Rogue was gestured to look around by a still rather silent Mrs. Dean. _

_Feeling a bit like she was treading on forbidden ground, Rogue walked forward only reluctantly. Looking over the small knick knacks and collected items the girl had owned. Noticing clothing crumpled up on the floor and hanging haphazardly in the closet. Glancing once at the mother who nodded, Rogue turned on the computer. A voice recognition software was already turned on but for the most part it looked like the computer mostly contained music. The internet browser history was pretty lax._

_Then she reached the books. Rogue wasn't expecting much from them except for it to be a few silly young adult novels. Maybe a more risqué title hidden between the spines. But on a closer glance Rogue realized they were all in brail._

_At which point her eyes flashed up to the posters upon the walls._

_"Mrs. Dean…" Rogue asked softly, trying to restrain the trepidation from her voice. "Who is E. S. Norton?"_

_"All I know," Mrs. Dean said, her voice suddenly hard and angry. "Is that he was supposed to be one of Cecily's favorite authors. He agreed to fund her surgery. And now except for these posters I can't find a single sign of him."_

_That never boded well. Rogue frowned darkly, trying to keep it from the mother… But still she reached for one of the posters, green eyes icy as she looked back to Mrs. Dean. "Can Ah take one?"_

This was supposed to be the warehouse Norton's books were held in. But Rogue knew from the outside it hadn't been touched in years. Still, she'd been rather hoping for a different story on the inside. Anything, really.

Not a sign of anything really and it was starting to tick her off. That there was nothing!

Nothing on medical to suggest anything of why she died. Both Utopia and Beast had taken a look at the data. Nothing in physical evidence that was out of the ordinary except a poster of some novel that didn't exist. And nothing that suggested any other leads to her.

Rogue was beginning to feel beyond frustrated with her lack of an ability to do anything. It was making her skin crawl and she had a feeling if anybody were to touch her bare flesh right now, she'd absorb them without thought. It was good Magnus was keeping his distance, pretending to ignore her stewing in anger… and a bit of guilt. They did not comfort each other like other couples might.

They would not acknowledge each other's weaknesses. It simply wasn't their way.

"There's nothin' here," Rogue spat finally, turning on her heel. "We should go."

"It will hurt nothing to take a closer look around."

He wasn't arguing with her but still Rogue felt a bite of anger, wanting to snap back. But eventually the words settled over her as comforting and calming. They were reasonable words and she was being highly emotional. The exact opposite.

"Fine," Rogue sighed, spinning again to start off in the opposite direction as Magnus. As much as she appreciated him taking a logical direction, Rogue still felt like he'd argued with her. Disagreed. And considering they were still on rather opposite sides on the debate about how they should be treating mutant children, Rogue took any sort of disagreement as an affront to her overall side.

She didn't want to be around him for right now, whilst she cooled her head. Otherwise she might start a fight she'd sooner regret having. Especially in the middle of something far more important than her own pride.

"Ah found something!"

Her own shocked words echoed back to her before she real conscious that she was staring at anything. Rogue frowned, reaching down to pick up the one little book in a sea of empty concrete flooring. It appeared to be the same cover as the poster she'd taken from the little girl's room. But as she tilted it this way and that, as if looking for some answer, it was the first time Rogue paid attention to the title:

_The Devil's Own Eyes._

And just as soon as she felt Magnus' presence near her shoulder, Rogue realize who the title made her think of.

"Remy…"

The book fell from her grasp but never hit the floor. Or she just didn't catch it in the swirl that invaded her head. A pounding headache that had awoken her that morning pervading her senses. Once again she felt trapped between a cold wall and a dark hand around her throat.

Then there was a crashing sound and the hand jerked away. The dark entity's voice in her head muttered something about it not being time yet…

And finally Rogue felt in control of her body again. She gasped for air, muscles tensing as she took full stock of her potion. Only to grab the front of Magnus' shirt and look him dead in the eyes.

"Ah need to get back. Remy's in trouble!"

She didn't bother herself with Magnus' guarded face or with how she knew it. Rogue wouldn't even let herself think that by the time she did reach New York it was too late.

There was just the unyielding need to be there.

* * *

**AN: **So likely some of my continuity is a bit shaky. Other than the character arcs, I have to admit that I have no solid plotline in the works. I'm pretty much making it up as I go along. As it stands, I'll probably only drag this story out up to another five chapters or so. I've gotten inspiration for a couple more fanfics that I want to get started on. Those ones I actually have more solid plots/ideas on so if anybody likes this, keep your eyes out for those. I feel like they'll be better.

Thanks to Marigab and Psyknight for reviewing. You guys rock my world


	6. Chapter 6: Terrible Coffee

**Disclaimer: **I still own nothing involved here

**AN: **Thanks again to my reviewers! Margab is my ever faithful reader and I adore you. Also thanks for the praise from my guest reviewer. I'm glad my choice to try and incorporate a cast of X-Men (like any comic book would) is appreciated. Sorry for the delay in an update. I've been pretty good up until now (though, still, three days is still pretty good) but likely updates will be a little more spread out. Depending on my mood.

I anticipated this chapter going in one direction but it just didn't seem to fit. So I changed it up and while there's less action than I'd originally planned, it still turned out interesting. Also became much easier to write. So hopefully it inspires me to get another update out soon.

* * *

Cecilia smiled before she opened her eyes. As if she suspected doing so would break the spell that was currently making her brain feel fuzzy. She knew she'd had some wine last night, which she might regret at any moment. But the smell of coffee was drifting into the room. And her body heat had warmed up the blankets nicely, giving her the subtle scent of a man.

Finally, she shifted off her arm and blinked her eyes open. Becoming aware that she was curled in the very center of a bed with black spreading. Hers was the only lasting impression in the mattress but as she sat up, Cecilia began to recall last night's events.

Remy never came to bed with her. In fact, he'd quite insisted on sleeping on the couch.

Cecilia's shoulders deflated as she sat there, hands on either side of her. On the one side she was relieved Remy had acted like a gentleman. She'd been distraught and just a bit tipsy by the time she'd thrown herself at him and likely would have convinced herself to regret it come morning. On the other side it felt like a nice blow to her ego.

Here she was in the apartment of a man known to be a womanizer. While she'd been away from the X-Men for a very long time, Cecilia had still heard plenty. There was hardly a female in his age range he did not attempt to charm. And he'd sent her to bed alone.

It was unreasonable, she knew. Remy had been very genuine about his kiss and Cecilia was sure she hadn't imagined his look of disappointment. There'd also been that silent gesture of comfort before Cece had slipped, alone, into the bedroom. But she'd always had this strange feeling that despite all of his flirting and their couple of dates, Remy was distant from her. That it was friendliness and habit only that caused him to be flirtatious. Not out of any desire to bed her.

Not that a respectable, independent woman like Cecilia Reyes needed a no-good scoundrel womanizer to validate her by bedding her. Certainly not.

Maybe she just didn't like the idea of seeming less desirable than, say… Rogue.

Cecilia sighed at herself in annoyance, pushing the blankets off of her to slip off the bed. Might as well get some of that coffee and then see about a shower. And clothes. She wondered if Gambit had other women's clothing lying about his apartment. Or did he perhaps have another that he took his lady friends back to?

Oh yes, that'd be quite the question to ask. _Gambit, do you have a shag flat?_ Cecilia snorted to herself as she pulled the door open.

She was greeted by the sight of Remy LeBeau sitting upon the floor in front of his television in nothing but boxer shorts. Cecila's stomach worked itself into a nice pretzel eyeing that well developed chest and strong, bare arms. Better yet, he was leaning forward in concentration. The red of his eyes blazing brightly under furrowed brows and his jaw set determinedly. A lone playing card ran up and under the fingers of one hand draped over a knee while his other gripped a remote on the floor.

When Cecilia realized how much her breath had quickened she nearly turned around and headed back into the room. Thinking a shower might be a good first idea. Maybe by then Gambit would have put a shirt on…

But another side of her thought about playfully interrupting that look of concentration. Putting her hands on his shoulders, perhaps and leaning down in front of him. Giving him a suggestive smile and ask him what he was up to. Perhaps steal a kiss from a reputable thief.

Instead, Cecilia pinched the bridge of her nose, crossing her other arm over her stomach.

She was a grown woman. She should not be falling prey to silly school girl fancies. As a grown woman she ought to be able to walk across this living room to the kitchen without making much notice of Remy's state of dis-dress. She ought to be able to greet him in an adult fashion. As a doctor she'd seen many bare chests and managed to stay courteous and professional. In her personal life she'd also encountered undressed men. This was nothing new for her!

Remy seemed to sigh at about the same time as her and Cecilia open her eyes to glance at him again. The card had still between two fingers as he leaned forward a bit more, the remote lifted. Apparently he was deep in thought and hadn't noticed her emerge from the bedroom. Which meant that she could still return without cause for embarrassment.

But deciding she'd already stood around here long enough to calm her nerves, she might as well tread lightly to the kitchen. Perhaps Gambit wouldn't notice her if she didn't make much noise.

Leaving the bedroom door open, she stepped forward lightly, eyes upon Gambit as she moved. But as her angle changed slightly, she came to a halt again, able to see the thing he'd been most concentrated upon.

The video was slightly grainy and fuzzy from being blown up to such proportions, but still she recognized it. From the hospital. The girl that had begun to feel the effects of her mutation before combusting in a terrible storm of energy. In a panic, Cecilia had only created a force field around herself, leaving several other doctors to die in the blast. Unable to deal with anything else afterwards, she'd run here. As if she could forget about it all.

Now Remy was replaying that horrible moment over and over again on his television.

"Did y'notice dat?" Remy spoke up suddenly, pointing to the girl on the screen.

"I'm sorry?" Cece spoke up out of her haze, shaking herself slightly. It occurred to her that Remy must not have gone to sleep immediately after her. If at all. Instead he'd followed what little clues she'd given accidentally and gone to the hospital to retrieve the rest of the story. All without making her say a word of it.

All without asking her. If she minded him prying into her work space and business. Into her terrors and mistakes and nightmare.

But she knew it was unreasonable to think nobody else could get involved. It was a serious matter. She just didn't like Remy doing it without telling her. Probably wouldn't have liked even still…

"Dere," Remy spoke into her thoughts again. "She's sayin' somet'ing."

"She's deaf, Remy," Cece said dryly. Before noticing her slip in tense and turning away to the kitchen again. Not bothering to look into the baleful red on black eyes that turned toward her, jaw slack a little. Yes, well it was nice of him to _actually_ notice her…

Really, where had her attitude come from all of a sudden? She wasn't usually this edgy and spiteful. It couldn't possibly have to do with Remy turning her away after their kiss. It just wasn't reasonable. He was a friend and attractive, but Cece had no strong feelings for him. She grudgingly went on a date with him and found him to be kind and relaxing company. So Cecilia decided to continue the friendly company, let him pamper her a bit. Lord knew she needed it.

But that was quite it. Her jumping him last night was a fluke. Brought on by stress, wine and a desire to escape some terrible images. Not because she'd really entertained the idea before. And likely she only did now because of her silly pride.

Which, she thought to herself, should not be taken into such account. She was smarter than a wounded pride. Sleeping with Gambit would not to be the thing that solved it.

"Deaf people can still talk, chere," Remy said softly.

But thankfully the television was turned off. As Cecilia half monitored him pulling out a laptop and hopping on the couch to play the disc, she went about readying her coffee. Relaxing again as she added creamer and sugar, anticipating the first pleasant sip. It certainly smelled delicious.

"You make _terrible_ coffee, Gambit," Cece grimace, spitting her drink into the sink.

The man chuckled at her.

"My favorite joint in N'awlins makes de worst pot o'coffee y'ever did taste," Remy explained, turning his head to look over the back of the couch. "I became quite fond o'de place and now can't stand a good cup of coffee."

"Well I don't care if you enjoy it," Cecilia tsked, pouring out the pot. "I'm making myself a decent pot of coffee!"

"Fair enough," Remy chuckled.

The pot set up to brew, Cece leaned against the counter in the kitchen and looked out to the living room. Noticing the slight darkening under Remy's eyes as he poured over the recording a dozen more time. His mouth was set in a grim, determined line but he'd lost a bit of the concentration she'd caught him at earlier.

Thankfully with the footage out of view, Cecilia could think over him looking at it more calmly. Be much more reasonable. And she supposed that if anybody were to look into it, she rather preferred Gambit to, say, Logan. Not that she was sure it didn't get out to other parties as well. But it almost seemed… sweet that he'd go to such lengths for her.

He hissed suddenly, shoving the computer away and sitting up straight. Not just straight. Spine fused together and whole body rigid…

"What?" Cecilia said cautiously. But moving out of the kitchen all the same. Finding herself walking up behind the couch to slide a hand over Remy's shoulder.

He relaxed at the touch, collapsing his shoulders back into the couch. She continued her arm around to hug around the front of his chest and he reached a hand up to grip her forearm. Thumb rubbing back and forth on her skin.

"I'm not sure…" Remy said in a quiet voice.

So quiet she wouldn't have caught it if her head wasn't so close to his. She leaned forward more, placing she side of her head on the top of his.

"You didn't sleep at all last night, did you?" Cece sighed. Feeling concern fill up all the places that had simply felt rejected and catty earlier.

"Couldn't."

His voice sounded so tight. Almost frightened. Like he was running from something by not sleeping. Which seemed ridiculous considering she was the one that had just witnessed a terrible thing. And she slept the best she had in several weeks.

"Why not?" she prompted softly. Like she felt that she was close enough to Remy that he might share.

Remy shifted around and Cece pulled back only enough their eyes could meet. The moment a smirk started to slip on to his lips, she knew she would be getting nothing. Still she found herself lingering for the answer he was clearly building her up for.

"Remy was up all night t'inkin 'bout y', Chere," he said, still in their low, intimate tone.

"Liar," Cecilia hissed. She flicked her eyes to the computer screen and back to him. Though she could already see how he might be able to spin it so it was still the truth. But she was trying to be better than fall into his seductive trap.

Considering she was still leaning on the back of the couch and not pulling away as Remy placing a hand on the side of her face, Cece would have to say she wasn't doing well. Or she was doing very well. Whatever perspective you wanted to take.

"Non," the man whispered, moving those lips closer to hers. "Remy be completely honest."

"Remy's third person speak is about to get Remy smacked," Cecilia replied, breath catching in her throat all the same.

"Good t'ing I have a better plan."

There was no fiery, desperate heat in this kiss like there had been last night. This one jerked at some spot in Cece's gut even while her lips tingled. And the tingling began to spread out from her lips and down the rest of her body. Moving all the way to the ends of her fingers and toes while Remy teased at her lips slowly and gently. Her breath kept getting caught in her throat, anticipating Remy to lean in and deepen the kiss before he'd pull back only slightly. Starting up the cycle all over again while his thumb placed nice little circles on her heated cheek.

She'd forgotten that she'd asked a question. That there was something important they ought to be discussing. And Cecilia was slightly aware that could very well be the trap Remy had just lured her into.

Until his tongue darted over her lips, sending a shudder through her body. Just as they both came together closer to deepen the kiss, both their bodies heating up…

A knock wrapped desperately on the door.

"Merde," Remy cursed, pulling away to give the door a dirty glare. He looked about as disheveled as Cecilia felt. A bit of his auburn fringe was falling into his blazing eyes. "Always at de good part."

She felt slightly that he was referring to their kiss last night as well. But Cecilia would have pointed out that it was him that interrupted that one. Even still, her tongue still felt rather twisted, heart pumping desperately in her chest. Unable to speak, she watched Remy stand and move to the door, opening it to see who disturbed them.

"Remy!" a southern lilting voice called out. The fogginess was pushed entirely out of Cece's brain and she moved around to spot Rogue placing her gloved hands on the man's chest, staring at him wide eyed. "Oh Remy, yaur okay!"

Cecelia found herself exchanging a peculiar nod with Magneto who stood slightly over Rogue's shoulder. Like they shared the same perspective in this matter. Though she hardly thought so. Cece was disappointed their kiss was interrupted and justly crossed her arms. But there seemed to be no problem in Remy being caught off guard by Rogue's sudden appearance.

It was the southern gal that was flinging herself at Remy.

"And very undressed." Rogue yanked her hands back suddenly, now aware of what everybody else could have pointed out.

"Wow, Gambit," Cecilia said edgily, pursing her lips at him. Like suddenly she felt the right to play jealous girlfriend. Oh what was wrong with her? "You flush?"

He looked at her almost gratefully, color in his cheeks all the same as he stepped back from the door. He didn't seem to dare to look at Rogue again, instead addressing himself entirely to Cece. And if it weren't for the apologetic look, she might have glowered at him. Instead she couldn't help but pity him, softening her gaze just a bit.

"I'm going to shower real quick," Remy said, stepping away from the door. He turned completely from Rogue and Magneto, moving to the couch to scoop up his pile of clothing. When he glanced up, his eyes only fell on Cece. "Shouldn't take long."

The Cajun disappeared in a matter of seconds into the bedroom, door closing with a definitive snap. Cecilia sighed heavily before turning again to the door, looking over the pair.

"I just finished brewing a pot of coffee," Cecilia spoke up. "Would either of you care for a drink?"

"I would indeed," Magneto said gravely. Like coffee was suddenly a matter of life and death. He could make just about anything seem dramatic, Cece was sure.

She rolled her eyes at her thought and gestured them in, moving to the kitchen. Likely the man was just concerned by his girlfriend throwing herself at her ex. Certainly the same event was causing Cece a bit of discomfort. Of course she didn't have any claim on Gambit…

Still, the timing. Absolutely wonderful.

She angrily dumped a too full tablespoon of sugar into her cup of coffee. Glaring at it for a moment she eventually gave up on it. Simply added the creamer, stirred it up and vengefully offered it to Rogue. The woman could gag on too sweet coffee while Cece prepared the cup she so desperately needed.

Maybe after a caffeine intake and a warm shower she'd be better capable of taking on the day.

And she was quite certain there'd be plenty of hot water. After all, Gambit was certainly in there taking the coldest shower of his damn life.

* * *

**AN: **The bit about Gambit liking bad coffee comes from my very good friend luckys girl. I bet she in turn got it from some fanfic or another. But I still felt like she ought to get credit. Really, I ought to credit her for this entire thing. She was the one that got me interested in Gambit by adding him into our role play. Without her I would never have cared enough to get to the point where I was writing a Gambit fanfic. So shout out to her! She has several cute Romy oneshots for those interested.

Also, read and review guys! The more you review, the more motivated I am to write sooner!


	7. Chapter 7: A Nameless Emotion

**Disclaimer: **I still don't own X-Men

**AN: **Sorry, sorry, sorry that this update took so long. I have been soooo busy this last week. I won't bore you with the details but Saturday especially was exciting. Went to Jet City Comic Show in Seattle. Got some good things, met Paul Tobin who writes for Marvel. He's just put out a novel about super heroes, people should check it out if they're interested. It's on kindle and stuff. But I went for the old fashioned, autographed copy.

Anyways, back to the fanfic... the story is going at a much slower pace than I expected it to. It's not bad but by chapter 7 I had been planning on action having happened and throwing more Romy stuff into the mix. As it is, conversation and thoughts are being dragged out and I'm having fun throwing more Cecilia into the mix. Could be that I"m excited for Astonishing X-Men this Wednesday. This is going to be a good month for Gambit ^_^

Alright, hopefully my next update won't be another week and expect some action soon. Thanks to all of you that have been patient with the beat of my story so far

* * *

"So what do we know about Apocalypse currently?"

In contrast to his hasty flight, Remy came striding purposefully out of his room, adjusting the collar on his coat as it trailed behind him. His hair was still slightly wet from the shower and he shook a couple of locks out of his eyes, looking over the people gathered in his living room. Strangely it was Magneto and Cecilia that had clumped together near the window while Rogue sat idly on the couch. Didn't look like anybody had been speaking yet a cold hush fell over the room as Remy stepped in.

He looked at them all expectantly all the same. Tough crowd, apparently.

"That he's dead?" Rogue offered finally.

"Dat's what we thought last time," Remy said, giving Rogue a pointed look. She didn't look away but he was still pretty certain he caught a shiver. Definitely certain of it when she leaned forward to grab up her cup of coffee.

"And what does this have to do with anything?" Magneto asked with a twinge of annoyance. Of course he couldn't stand waiting through riddles without getting impatient. Probably didn't help that Remy was making eyes at his girl.

Poor chap was just going to have to get used to it. Remy made eyes at every girl and he'd gotten quite comfortable with Rogue again. Being around her at the school all the time while her 'boyfriend' was on the other side of the country… Definitely helped to create a friendly atmosphere between the two. Plus he was just Remy LeBeau.

Still the question brought to mind an answer that suddenly made him uncomfortable with his audience. Most importantly… he wasn't sure how comfortable Cecilia was with all of this. She'd come in here in a fright because of what happened at the hospital. And she hadn't been very pleased with seeing him going over the video feed when she woke up.

A small voice in the back of his head just said he was ashamed. That the darkness in the corner of his head was getting free and Remy didn't want Cece to know. To know what he was capable of with those powers… or that he might somehow be involved with the nightmare she'd lived through. Remy had been burned too much in the past by being connected to terrible things and having it come to light.

But more important was Cecilia's comfort.

"Chere," Remy spoke up, turning his gaze from Rogue. He saw the femme sit up straighter before realizing he wasn't talking to her. Instead his eyes landed on Cecilia, cupping a mug in her hands by the window. "Y'don't gotta be involved. Take a shower, relax, de apartment is yo's for de day."

Chocolate brown eyes dropped down to look into the mug, weighing the options in her mind. Remy was pretty certain she hadn't been expecting it and she frowned a bit. She was tempted, Remy could tell. But whatever thoughts she had, however, led her to raise her head and shake her head.

"I ran once," Cecilia said. "Thanks, but no. I think I can play with the big kids, Gambit."

Remy chuckled, taking a couple steps forward to place his hands on her arms. Leaving only a little bit of space between them and ignoring the others in the room while the red of his eyes became more intense.

"Oh, I know y'can. I was just afraid y'might look Remy look bad."

Cece slowly loosened the fingers of one hand from her mug of coffee, looking up into his eyes. Then in one sudden movement she smacked the back of her hand into Remy's chest, pursing her lips.

"Told you it'd get you smacked."

The room filled with an unusual silence. For the most part Remy was enjoying it, wanting to take that hand and kiss the back of it. But the more things kept silent, the more aware he was of Rogue's eyes on them. It started to feel like Cecelia's gaze stayed glued on him in an attempt to avoid the rest of the people, her lips twitching slightly.

"So what have you got figured out?" Cece asked finally.

It broke some sort of spell on the others in the room since Magneto moved at that point, sighing slightly as he moved to the couch. Remy pulled back only enough to lean his back into the wall, pulling out a deck of cards to bridge them between his hands.

"Not much," he admitted. "Only just caught dat girl saying 'Apocalypse' before… dey showed up." He nodded toward the couch, though he'd been tempted to say Cece had been the interrupting factor. Certainly hadn't complained with the intimate gestures that had pulled him from thinking too heavily. Couldn't really recall the last time Remy had been in that sort of position… he and Rogue had been apart for so long it seemed like a lifetime ago.

"What girl?" Rogue asked.

"How could she be saying anything?" Cece spoke over the top of the southern gal. Didn't seem intentional but Rogue still got a sour look on her face, teasing a bit of a smirk out of Remy. "She was deaf and… and she was in so much pain…"

"Deaf ain't mute," Remy said, focusing his eyes down on the cards in his hands. "'Sides, she didn't necessarily have to know what name she was sayin. Might've just been her lips moving."

"And you can read lips." Cecilia snorted a bit though she had a smug look on her face. Probably had forgotten to take into account that Remy was a thief. Things like reading lips was second nature by now. "So she says something that you translate is 'Apocalypse.' How do we know he's involved?"

That brought a small frown to Remy's lips, the cards slowing down and finally stopping in one hand. "I can feel it."

Had been feeling it since he talked to Betsy about not sleeping well. That dark presence in his head had been stirring more and more. Looking for a way to escape. Probably sensed its master and figured that'd be the way to break free… and Remy couldn't let that happen. No telling what Death would be willing to do.

Once again he considered telling Cece to step out on this. Because Remy didn't know if throwing himself closer to something attached to Apocalypse was a smart idea. Could just end up causing what he was trying hard to prevent. And then she'd be there, she'd know… More importantly, she might get hurt. Remy's fingers clenched reflexively around the deck of cards imagining being the cause of Cecilia being hurt or killed. Letting that poison Apocalypse gave him spread to his friend…

"_What_ girl?" Rogue repeated, much louder.

Cecilia and Remy looked up, startled from their thoughts. Rogue was still sitting on the couch but she looked like she was raring for a fight, hands clenched in fists on her knees. Apparently her patience did not allow for conversations between Remy and Cecilia like nobody else was in the room. Though if Remy were to be Frank, Rogue just showed up on the doorstep. She hadn't been invited and he was just as wary to have her involved.

He found it to be for other reasons though. Not that Remy enjoyed the thought of hurting Rogue any more than hurting Cecilia. Considering he'd already done that several times, his stomach clenched sickeningly at the thought.

But he found himself questioning Rogue's presence here. Her reaction to seeing he was 'alright' like he might not be. That she was hanging around like she was involved with what was going on when, honestly, Remy didn't see any connection at all. Maybe he was wrong but he still didn't like it. It all made him rather uncomfortable, a nameless emotion flitting in his chest as he stared back at Rogue's hard, green eyes. Debating how to answer.

He decided not to with words. Instead he disengaged from the wall, striding over to open his laptop again, absently playing the video. Remy didn't look at it, or anybody really. But out of the corner of his eye he gathered Rogue and Magneto's reactions.

The latter was passive except for a firm crossing of his arms. Which considering he was wearing a normal button up green shirt and black slacks wasn't quite as impressive as it was in his Magneto costume.

It was Rogue that had a far more visceral reaction to the footage. Immediately she went pale, just like Remy might expect. After all, Rogue was an empathetic woman and seeing a young child suffer had to horrify her. But she kept rigid, watching until the very end. Her mouth fell open a bit, a hand coming up to cover the horrified expression. As Remy swiftly closed the lip of the laptop, Rogue turned her face away, eyes shut.

Wasn't until Remy turned back around to check on Cecilia that he realized what was missing from Rogue's reaction.

Tears.

Cece was over there fighting them off as she stared out the window. But not Rogue. In fact, Remy couldn't recall the last time he'd cause tears in Rogue's eyes. He'd never questioned it before, thinking that gaining control of her powers perhaps bolstered her self-esteem, taking away the need to cry so much. But maybe it'd been before that.

Or he was wrong about the reason. Maybe it wasn't a lack of a need to cry but Rogue had become hardened against the urge to cry. Like somewhere in her mind she'd convinced herself crying was a weakness.

The epiphany drew upon a part of Remy had usually stayed rather dormant. His hands fisted at his side in response, fighting against the urge to turn and grab her shoulders. Shake her and inform her that crying wasn't a weakness. It was alright to be scared and hurt… especially since he'd be there like he always was to hold her through the process.

But it wasn't Remy's place. Not only to hold her but to convince her that it was alright to cry. That it was safe…

That would be Magneto's and reflexively Remy sent him a bit of a glare. Nobody seemed to catch it but Magneto but he was unperturbed. He also did nothing to comfort Rogue and it made Remy's stomach churn in disgust. What kind of man was he that he acted like the woman he professed to love wasn't hurting right now?

Remy angrily pushed it from his mind, though, walking back to grab Cecilia's hand. He followed through on his urge from earlier and kissed the back of it swiftly. Calling her attention to him so he could watch her face soften but the conviction in her eyes harden. There'd be absolutely no convincing her to stay behind now. And he found himself temporarily glad of it.

Because Rogue would be just as stubborn.

"We just got back from investigating another girl's death," Rogue explained in a hushed voice. She reached into a pocket and pulled out a book to set on the table. "She was blind, just gone through surgery paid by this author who doesn't even seem to exist anymore. Got her eyesight back only to die a week later, her body twisted and broken, eyes completely melted. Logan told me about this one just last night."

Cece sighed, subconsciously still grasping Remy's hand. "So Logan does know."

"Dat means Betsy does too…"

Cecilia gave him a peculiar look that Remy ignored. He hadn't really meant to say it out loud but his head was working on the puzzle. Two girls on opposite coasts. One blind, one deaf. Both obviously gone through some sort of medical process recently. One saying the name Apocalypse, the other attached to a book.

Remy strode over to pick up the book, scoffing a bit at the title. Oh, there was a nice laugh. Almost like it was a joke meant to mock him. He found himself flipping it over, looking over the summary on the back. Fanciful little tale about a girl living in a world where the gates of hell had opened, unleashing demons that took control of the Earth. And the girl was forced to become a hero but there was a sexy guy that she ended up teaming up with… Usual stuff he could imagine some young girl being all interested in.

"Guess I should've grabbed some more of de girl's records while dere," Remy chuckled a bit. "Just wasn't counting on being caught by Wolvie."

"Give me one second to get dressed," Cece responded, setting her coffee down. "And I can go over there to get her records."

"Sounds like de place to start…" Remy murmured.

But an uneasy feeling was filling the pit of his stomach as he watched her head into the bedroom, his hand still clenched around the paperback book.


	8. Chapter 8: Dark and Unapproachable

**Disclaimer: **I really don't own X-Men. If I did Legacy 274 would have gone muuuuuch differently -shakes head-

**AN: **The action picks up a little teensy bit in this short-ish chapter. Also a bit of 'romy' thrown in there. And by that I mean Remy and Rogue interact. Say it isn't so! Rogue isn't acting like her ex-boyfriend doesn't exist! What a shocker! Anyways... that aside ^.^;; I'm working toward a goal here. I really am. I know where I want to go it's just a matter of getting there without forcing it. I also might have a sequel planned for this. Also a strange Rogneto short story idea has entered my brain... So anybody that is really seriously interested in any of those things should hit me up with a review.

Thanks again to marigab who keeps me motivated to update this thing!

* * *

They had to be an unusual sight, piling out of Cecilia's car. Even if Magnus had forgone his Magneto costume, Rogue still felt like the overbearing grey haired man brought quite a few stairs. Then there was her with her white fringe and X-Men outfit. She hardly wore anything else these days. It just felt right, like a second skin. Plus it was practical.

And of course Gambit always brought a few stares everywhere he went. For a man that could sink unseen into the shadows he drew a lot of attention to himself. Course that confident ass grin as he slipped on his sunglasses and leaned on the top of the car to tease Cecilia might have something to do with it. A nurse actually paused to greet him, like they were old pals. He lifted a gloved hand to wave back but it was clear his attention was still on Cecilia.

Keeping her comfortable, Rogue knew logically. After all, the doctor was heading back to the scene of something horrific. That she'd had to live through. It was enough to have Rogue jumping out of her skin and she'd only seen a few minutes of footage. With Remy's smooth charm he could easily keep any gal from jumping around in nerves. Rogue had not only seen it a fair number of times but been on the receiving end of it.

Even after she and Magnus were together…

"Y'sho yo' okay to go in alone, Chere?"

Once again Rogue's heart thumped at the realization she wasn't the one being addressed in that fashion. It was only right that Gambit continue dating and move on. But she couldn't shake this sense that he was almost doing it purposefully because she was around. Or maybe she was just unrightfully paranoid… Who knew. She hadn't slept in about two days now. Not since that terrible dream…

Cecilia nodded without words, fingers tapping nervously on the top of the car. They'd been discussing it on the drive over. Well, those two had been discussing it. Rogue felt like a tag along, really. Like she wasn't really part of this anymore even if she'd been the one to make the discoveries about the first girl.

Somehow this had become Remy's mystery to solve. And it made her anxious.

"Just stay out of trouble," Cecilia snapped lightly, tossing Remy the keys. He caught them in one hand, snickering. Like he enjoyed getting bossed around… or because he understood some hidden joke that Rogue just didn't get.

"Perhaps it would be helpful if I accompanied Dr. Reyes," Magnus spoke up, seemingly only now uncrossing his arms. "As I am the least inconspicuous."

It seemed like only Rogue caught the flash in Remy's eyes as he faced Magnus. She was standing slightly to the side, though, able to see around the lenses of his sunglasses. But other than that, nothing changed on Remy's face and he just shrugged slowly.

"Sure, why not," Cece said airly. Like she didn't care one way or another what Magneto chose to do. But through the slit in her eyelids, Rogue was pretty certain Cecilia was giving her a look.

A few more words were exchanged between Cecilia and Remy in lower voices. Again it seemed to be just Remy keeping her cheered up. All that Magnus did was rub a hand comfortingly between Rogue's shoulder blades. Though honestly it was enough. She always did feel like Gambit said too much and not enough all at the same time.

Then again, he'd accused her once of never letting anybody getting in a word edgewise. Pretty sure Logan had said something similar as well. Which she could only conclude meant she actually had a fault or the two men thought too much alike for their own good. No wonder they couldn't get along.

Rogue and Remy watched the other pair slip into the front doors of the hospital in silence. A heavy silence where Rogue could feel like there was a whole lot not being said right now. She could feel the tension filling in Remy, making his nerves vibrate. All that time together gave her quite a sixth sense about the Cajun. Could read his body language even when it seemed like there was nothing there at all to read…

"Hold on to dese, p'tite," Gambit was saying suddenly, tossing the keys to Rogue. In her shock she fumbled with them before looping a finger through the key ring and giving the man a suspicious look. "Remy needs to check on somet'ing real quick."

"Oh, Ah don't think so, swamp rat!"

The angry words slipped out of Rogue by pure habit as she pointed a disapproving finger at Gambit. Even as he turned away, meaning the gesture went unnoticed to the back of his brown duster. Right now she didn't care that she'd suddenly become 'p'tite' instead of 'Chere.' Only thing that bothered her was that once again Remy LeBeau was slipping off to do God knew what as the most suspicious of times.

And he didn't trust her enough to do anything more than stand idly by the car and wait. Nuh uh. Wasn't happening.

She hopped along behind him, a scowl marring her face. But he didn't seem to notice her following. Just looked left and right once up by the building and pushed his sunglasses further up his face. He seemed to nod to himself and started off to the right, a card flicking into his hand. It was an old fidgeting habit of his, even when he wasn't heading into a fight.

But as Rogue watched a tightness came to her throat and she thought perhaps she picked up a faint, dark outline to the card as Remy simply gripped it between a finger and his thumb. A wild panic came over her and she couldn't stand it anymore. She grabbed Gambit's shoulder and turned him, forcing his back up against a wall.

"Dammit, Gambit! Stop runnin' off and _talk_ ta somebody!" Rogue snapped.

A deep, dark frown was on his face but the glasses slipped down from the sudden movement… and his eyes simply looked startled. Almost like two personalities were vying for control of his features. But this really was the first time Rogue had been able to get a good look at him all day. And she could tell he was tired. There were dark circles under his eyes and a paleness to his cheeks that simply didn't want to go away.

"I don't want y'involved, Rogue," Remy responded, putting his hands around her wrists.

She just tightened her hands on his coat, putting her face up closer to his. "Ah don't think you know what ya want. When was tha last time you slept? When was tha last time ya spoke a truthful word to _any_ a' us?"

"Shortly before we got in the car," Remy said lowly leaning his head back. Closing his eyes suddenly and looking even more weary. "And just now. S'il vous plait, Rogue, y'need to be here."

"Why?" She clenched his gloved hands even tighter, trying to ignore the pleading tone in his voice. More than likely he was just trying to play her. "Cause Ah can't handle mahself?"

"Non!"

Remy's eyes blazed brightly as he opened them again to stare down at her. Almost turning his entire eye red and making Rogue startled backwards. His jaw was locked against something, brow furrowing. Like he was holding something back or fighting with himself internally.

That chilling fear from the dream Rogue had the other night started to seep up through her arms and into her chest. Like it started all from Remy.

"Sorry to break up the lover's spat—"

"It's not," Remy said quickly, throwing Rogue's loosened grip off his coat as he stood up straighter. He gave her one last dark look before slipping the glasses back up his nose and turning to greet Elisabeth Braddock with a nod.

"—But we only have until nightfall to figure this thing out."

"What thing?" Rogue asked in a small voice. Felt like she was back to square one, feeling like the stranger in Remy's life. Standing on the sidelines desperately trying to ask the important questions. But this time it wasn't Remy and Cece flirting, being close and trusting while Rogue tried to get an answer.

This time it was Gambit and Psylocke, both dark and unapproachable, apparently on some sort of mission they weren't sharing with anybody else. They both felt extremely taller than Rogue, wrapped up in some darkness as they stared at each other. Likely caught up in some internal conversation, making Rogue feel small and very far away.

"We better just make it three tickets, Bets," Remy said suddenly, reaching out and grabbing Rogue's wrist.

The violet eyed woman looked Rogue over once before sighing and turning around. "Fine."

Betsy's posture was rigid as she walked away. Still, cold, like she was made out of stone. But despite the way he was acting, Remy's grip was still warm and gently around Rogue's wrist. She looked up at his face desperately and though he tugged her forward a bit harshly, he moved his hand from her wrist to between her shoulder blades to lead her along.

"Remy?"

"I told y'to wait at de car," Remy muttered into her ear. "Remember dat."

"You were hoping Ah'd volunteer to go with Cecilia…" Rogue said in a whisper. The careful banter Remy kept up with Cecilia suddenly making more sense. He wasn't just trying to keep the woman calm. He was urging somebody to sympathize – no, empathize – and go with her.

Rogue. And more than likely Magnus would have accompanied the women. If not, Remy could easily have played him off from following. From being concerned.

She knew Remy too well to be fooled.

"Oui."

"What did ya expect us ta fine?"

"I don't know. I don't know anyt'ing."


	9. Chapter 9: No Evil

**Disclaimer: **I still own nothing

**AN:** Another shorter chapter. Still not to the point that I thought I'd be at this point in the story... I guess I'm just building up the tension even more. Seriously, all of this just to set up one scene that's been stuck in my head. Haha. Anyways, enjoy. Working on this as fast as I can!

* * *

"Careful Cece. There was a gas explosion over there last night. Officials say it's still unsafe."

Unsafe her ass. Cecilia glowered a bit at the door which was all taped off. Something she would have expected even if she didn't know Logan had been here. Of course she ought to have guessed things would get 'cleaned' up but it still seemed ridiculous. What, did Logan go so far as to have Psylocke change the events in the girl's parent's memories?

What kind of terrible operation did Logan think he was handling?

"It appears we will learn nothing here," Magneto was oh so good to point out. He had this outstanding talent of walking around everywhere with his arms crossed and looking down his nose at everybody.

"Thank you Captain Obvious," Cecilia spat.

"That better not be the replacement for Captain America," a voice growled behind them. "If so I'm resigning from the Avengers, bub."

She spun around, a surprised intake of breath caught in her chest as she looked at Logan. He was eyeing Magneto carefully but as his bones were laced with metal, Cecelia doubted very much they'd see a fight breaking out. Even if Logan was geared up in one of his ridiculous costumes. White and black with the cowl down around his neck.

"Now either of you want to explain to me why Betsy and Gambit are running off with every last detail of what happened last night?" Logan snapped, his crossed arms tightening.

"But they're not. Remy's at the…" Cecilia trailed off in her confused argument, stepping closer to a window to lift the blind. Because even while she wanted to defend Remy's honor, it was the honor of a thief and a sneak. "Dammit!" she snapped, smacking her hand on the window.

There was a clear view to her car from here and nobody was there. Not a sign of Gambit or Betsy or…

"Rogue…"

Magneto's arms dropped to his sides as he swiftly stepped back toward the stairs, meaning to rush down by foot. Well, rush seemed too clumsy of a word for the man. He didn't have the patience for the elevator. In fact, Cecilia almost expected Magneto to decide flying out a window was the best option here.

Instead Logan stepped forward, holding up a hand.

"Hold it there, bub. Girl's already gone. So how about we do this altogether so we don't get split up more."

"Where have they gone?" Magneto rumbled. Arms crossed strictly over his chest again. Sheesh, he was a one act pony.

"And why?" Cecilia asked, her voice severe enough to gather Logan's attention.

"Dunno," he said to her first. "But Texas seems to be the destination."

Texas? What the hell was there?

Guess it didn't really matter. They just needed to get moving before Remy got his Cajun ass in more trouble.

Xxx

His head was killing him. He didn't think it had anything to do with the airplane lighting either. Irritated, Remy jammed his sunglasses further up the bridge of his nose, gritting his teeth. He was aware that his mood was being portrayed a lot more than he'd normally like.

But with Betsy still jabbering away mentally in his head, Remy found it rather hard to concentrate on his body language. Who was going to notice anyways?

"Remy?"

Oh right, Rogue.

Remy shifted again, tilting his seat back and even closing his eyes to pull off the act. Pretending to have decided to take a nap. Like that could account for him continuing to ignore Rogue's soft, concerned tones. She was good enough not to look directly at him, though. Instead her eyes were still upon that paperback novel she'd gotten from one of the girls.

**"The eyes, the ears, the tongue…"**

**"Dieu, Betsy, give it a rest," **Remy grumbled, trying to project the thoughts to the woman. But her mind kept racing, almost every detail painfully entered into Remy's mind.

He still had another two hours of this merde, stuck on a dieu damn airplane with lady crazy and lady concerned. He felt on the urge of _shouting_ at Betsy to shut up. She'd been so lucid when she first contacted him, claiming she'd figured out the pattern. Convincing Remy that they couldn't take any of the others because Apocalypse would just use them.

Only he and Betsy were immune to Apocalypse's new scheme, she claimed, because they'd already been affected once.

Yeah, Remy wanted to call bullshit on that one. Especially the more neurotic Betsy's thoughts got. He was just lucky his powers gave him a slight immunity to mind reading. Because he hadn't agreed to leave the others behind for Betsy's reasons. He wanted them to be able to follow, safely away from Betsy's psychic powers.

Now if only he was exempt from them entirely.

Xxx

A terrible little breathy noise escaped her the moment she was aware of her own consciousness. The scratchy material of the blindfold kept her cut off from her most valuable sense. She also found her hands useless, try as they might to break free of the thongs tying them behind her back. Even her ankles felt bound, which she tested with a good firm kick to a stone wall.

Her mouth opened to take in a teary breath but she could make little more noise than a gasping sob. She was used to it but not for the first time she hated it. Especially now when the difference of a well-placed sound could be life or death.

Between grit teeth she managed a bit of a gargling growling sound, thrashing about and trying to find something. Something to knock over or smash or anything that might make a noise or a sharp edge to cut her restraints. But all she found was empty air and the stone wall and floor. She began to feel her body bruising under her own abuse.

"You're a feisty one, aren't you?"

The voice instilled a tremor of fear in her, turning her stomach. It seemed to be a man's voice which got her to thinking of all the terrible, painful things a man could do to her. But she also took in how gravelly and grating his voice was. Almost like he literally spoke with stones in his mouth.

"The others weren't quite like this," the voice continued and she felt a touch on her cheek. Cold and hard, making her jerk back suddenly till her head hit the wall. "They were desperate but meek little creatures. You never expected any help for your handicap though, did you? So you fight for every little morsel that you can get."

Her stomach continued to knot up as she felt the figure crouch down beside her. She turned her face away, hoping that'd save her from whatever horrors the man meant to inflict upon her. Just a young girl barely starting High School. But the terrible thought that entered her brain as his hand cupped the side of her neck was: nobody would hear her scream. Because she couldn't…

"Luckily you're still innocent, still pure," the voice continued, jerking back suddenly. "I expect the best of results. You know the old saying: See no evil, hear no evil… speak no evil."

A door clanged shut and she was left alone with her stone cold horrors.

Xxx

**"See, hear, speak…"**

"Betsy will y'just shut up?"

Remy had finally lost his patience, shouting at the psychic as they walked through the halls of Houston airport. Looking startled, she glanced over her shoulder at him. Then that darkness entered her violet eyes once more and she was turning away. Walking with a cold, stiff assurance that left Remy's stomach crawling and his blood boiling more than ever before.

"Remy?"

And there was still Rogue…

"Remy, Remy, Remy," he spat at her. "Is that all y'can say? All y'care about? How about trying to make yo'self useful, _Chere_. For once!"

She gasped and it only seemed to infuriate Remy further. Even though in some deep corner of his mind he felt frustration with himself. That he'd try to tear Rogue down like that when she was only concerned about him.

Or was she? Maybe she was only concerned about her own hide. After all, she knew all too well what happened the last time the Death persona took full rein. What Remy had almost done to her. And she had to recognize it crawling up to the surface.

So she would be scared. Very, very scared. As she ought to be.

"Remy, this ain't you…"

He swiped the glasses off his face and glared down at her.

"Yeah? And what de fuck do y'know?"

He glared at her, watching almost satisfied as her hands trembled at her sides. Then he spun away to follow after Betsy. Dieu only knew he couldn't possible keep track of two femmes at once. And Braddock was the real prize… trouble… here.

Rogue could fend for herself. See how he cared.

* * *

Thanks for all the reviews! It really does make me happy and motivates me to keep going! Though I plan on finishing this no matter what just to say I finished something.

**JasmineBella: **You'll probably be seeing a whole lot more cliff hangers here soon as the action picks up. But hopefully I'll also be updating more frequently. Thanks for continuing to follow. Cheers!

**Nightshade X: **Thanks for the first review, glad you're enjoying it. I apologize for all my mistypes. I'm usually writing very late at night or very early (for me) so more prone to mistakes. I keep meaning to go through and edit them more thoroughly but would much rather be writing updates.

**Marigab: **I just love the fact that you keep reviewing. It fills me with warm fuzzies and motivates me to update. Plus you do a fantastic job for English not being your first language. Thanks again!

**NicoPony: **I also really enjoy RemCe (?). But I might be prejudiced because one of my OCs that I usually right with Remy is a doctor, so I can see a lot of my character in Cecilia causing me to believe that she's better for Gambit than Rogue... As for the cold shower comment... that was completely Cece's interpretation. But Remy probably still needed to cool down. And hopefully this chapter helped clear up some of your speculations though I still have a few more mysteries to go.


	10. Chapter 10: Surrounded by Morons

**Disclaimer: **These characters still do no belong to me but the situations slightly do

**AN: **So... I think I made the mistake of trying to write this from Rogue's point of view. It was exhausting and took me about three days just to do her part. The moment I switched to Cece's everything came out easier. But to set up the next chapter (which will likely to be the final or second to last) I felt I needed to give you Rogue's perspective.

* * *

She staggered suddenly in the oppressive, long hallways, pressing a hand to the cement wall to keep her balance. There was a feeling of claustrophobia in the endless tunnels. As if that wasn't enough, her head had been killing her for the last few hours.

Her vision blurred as her head spun, not quite sure whether it was an internal or external force causing her vertigo. She felt her limbs weaken slightly, her knees shaking till she was about ready to plummet to the floor. When the hands gripped her arms to press her shoulder blades firmly into the wall, she let out a scream.

Memories of a nightmare of similar halls and a hand pressing around her throat overwhelmed her. Frightened her.

"Rogue. Rogue, Rogue, Rogue," a voice called, shaking her slightly. "Chere, yo' okay. It's okay."

Her eyelids fluttered as she gasped for breaths, finally coming to in her surroundings. She still felt that horrifying, unsteady feeling through every fiber of her being but her mind was sharper now. Able to look up into Gambit's face and realize he was helping keep on her feet. She nodded weakly to him, wiping a gloved hand across her sweat covered brow.

At the nod, Remy immediately took a step backwards, adjusting the glasses that had fallen down his nose a bit. Only Betsy remained unshaken in the confines of the concrete building they'd been winding their way through. Apparently following the thoughts of a girl that would be the next victim to Apocalypse. The victim that would bring about his return.

"We're getting closer," Betsy informed them, head tilted only slightly so she could speak over her shoulder. "The dark energies are bound to irritate old wounds. If you were just _willing_ I could—"

"No!" Remy cut her off, the muscles of his arms noticeably stiff even under his jacket sleeves. "No, we'll be fine. Won't we, Rogue?"

The way he grinned at her teased a weak smile from Rogue in response. Even though she knew in her gut it was fake. All of this was fake. She wasn't even sure if she knew what was up and what was down anymore.

There was a thickness to the air making breathing difficult. Making it hard to remember how they'd gotten here. Why they were here…

But Rogue knew she was dragging her feet along with a purpose. One that she had to put above all else in her life.

**"Here."**

The shift from verbal to psychic dialogue was so seamless, Rogue barely caught it. She was almost surprised she heard it. Though she got this sense that the one word declaration – command – from Betsy wasn't all that Remy got. But he remained just as steadfastly silent, nodding his head to move forward to pick the lock.

She was caught by how natural it all seemed that Rogue didn't question a single aspect of it. She also found herself quite enjoying this view from behind Remy as he leaned over slightly to make quick work of the lock. Which of course he would. Master thief and all that. A simple lock wasn't going to be much difficulty for him.

Only when the door swung open with a foreboding creak to its hinges did Rogue think over their circumstances. That they didn't know what they were walking into and Rogue had no active powers to draw upon. She'd have to rely on her wits to get by. Not an impossible feat but…

"Betts, wait," Remy was hissing, reaching to grab the woman's arm as she slid past. She shrugged him off with a rotating motion, elbowing him heavily in the chest.

Remy actually staggered backwards, barely missing a slice from Betsy's katana sword on her downward motion. His teeth were grit visibly while the flaring of his eyes were hidden mostly behind his glasses, watching Betsy saunter into the darkened room. Her posture was self-assured, setting Rogue's nerves on fire. And still she had this sense that there was so secret, psychic conversation going on that she wasn't privy to. Or at least a running monologue from Betsy…

"No!" Remy shouted, launching himself into the room.

It broke whatever dizzy spell had befallen Rogue and she rushed in afterwards. In an instant she had taken in the bound girl on the floor, Betsy raising her sword as if she meant to cut her down. Rogue's heartbeat quickened at the possibility, darting forward to do something.

Remy was already a step ahead of her, barreling into Betsy's side. The collision seemed to spark with energy, pulling a strangled cry from Rogue. She found herself throwing her arms up over her head, cowering away from an unseen danger. Her chest quivered with the fear remembered from a nightmare but still she pushed onward stubbornly.

"Rogue! Grab de girl and go!" Remy grunted.

He was struggling to hold Betsy back, the woman's skin becoming a dark purple as she fought back. The hits Remy was receiving to his chest and legs by way of her elbows and feet had to be leaving damage. But even still all Remy did was hiss slightly… And as she stared transfixed, Rogue was certain she saw white at the root of his hair and places of his skin turning black.

Breath catching in her throat, Rogue jumped forward to scoop up the girl. Blinded nearly by terror, Rogue couldn't formulate a thought other than the one Remy had ordered her to have. Though the further her footsteps took her from the room the more her mind came rushing back to her.

"Where's the fire, Stripes?"

"Logan!" Rogue said breathlessly, thankfully. Seeing and hearing and even feeling his presence was a welcome relief.

Even more so the man striding beside him, coming directly toward her. Rogue managed a grin, taking the binds off the girl finally. That done she pushed the girl toward Magnus though it was clear it wasn't what he expected. He seemed willing to make do with the kiss she lifted herself upward to plant on him…

Then she took down her walls, sapping a small portion of his power. He looked startled and off guard by her invasion. She didn't stand around to wait for reprimands or orders even. Instead Rogue turned again to rush back to the fight going on between two of her friends, their control over dark entities in their head clearly slipping. Armed now with an active power she had the confidence she needed to feel like she could handle the fight.

She reentered the room to find Betsy had fought off Remy, sending him down on his knee while she regained control of her sword arm. Of course it was Rogue's first instinct to use Magnus' powers of magnetism to yank the katana free of Betsy's grip. It impaled upon a cement wall as Betsy turned coal black eyes on Rogue.

"Rogue, don't—!"

Cards were charging with an eerie shadowy glow in his hand but Betsy was turning away from him entirely. She lifted an arm, obviously planning on retaliating. What Rogue didn't expect was the outpouring of what seemed to be dark energy from Betsy's palm

Xxx

She felt surrounded by morons.

Cecilia had to be the one to mention the blackbird, pointing out a _jet_ would be faster than commercial air flight. After all, they couldn't very well be behind Remy each step of the way or they'd be too late for anything. Course with their feet on the ground, Logan's tracking came in to play. And thank god for it because Cecilia felt like tearing her hair out.

Better yet, those terrible silver locks on Magneto's head. For all the good it would do to prevent his damn pacing! What was it meant to solve? All it did was cause her to feel like she was going insane.

As if all of that wasn't enough… then there was Rogue. Oh, Rogue. And to think _this_ was the girl Remy was all hung up on. The Southern brass with the nerve to swoop in without a word of explanation, stealing her own 'boyfriend's' power and rushing off again. Yes because simply taking without reason was going to help them help her in the _slightest_.

Despite the weathered look of the child, Cecilia couldn't make herself stay put and behind. The girl would be fine for the moment. Who Cecilia didn't know would be fine was Remy… and she supposed Rogue as well. Fool girl, rushing headlong into danger.

Not that Cece felt she was doing much better…

Though as she came upon a transformed Betsy firing some sort of blast toward Rogue, Cecilia jumped into action. Her shield came up in a half bubble, blocking the hit from herself and Rogue. The concussive force still knocked the two women back into the concrete wall. Easily, Cece softened her rebound with her shield but Rogue was less lucky.

As a respectable doctor, she checked upon the woman. Judging her simply unconscious, Cecilia turned her attention upon the fight.

Remy discarded his glasses and though his eyes seemed almost completely red he seemed uninjured. Cards fired from his fingers at Betsy. She flipped through the air, letting them combust harmlessly into the wall. Miraculously, Betsy tugged her katana free from where it impaled in the wall and again ducked underneath Remy's projectiles.

An indecipherable yelp meant to be his name escape Cece as she pushed to her feet, watching Betsy's sword cut cleanly through his shirt and to the skin and muscle below. Crimson spurted from the wound as his body arched backwards onto the ground.

Ignoring the dangers, Cecilia scrambled forward, throwing up a forcefield to deflect what would have been Betsy's killing blow. It was an offhand defense from the frantic doctor as she skid to a halt on her knees at Remy's side. Sweat seeped over her face and stung her eyes, hardly a care given to the dangerous woman still standing she pulled her jacket off to press to Remy's wound.

The next second brought the entrance of Logan with a feral growl. But even as he launched himself toward Betsy, she jumped over his oncoming attack. She balanced on her feet only half a second before leaping into the air and toward an air shaft. She disappeared in moments…

But by then all of Cecilia's concentration was upon her wounded patient.

"You stupid, stupid man," Cece hissed, her hands working by practiced habit. Her anxious, conscious mind unaware of the work she was doing. "You better not be dying you stupid idiot."

* * *

**AN: **So... I feel a little cheap with how I treated Rogue. But I've gotten rather frustrated with her 'ability' to always come in with the final winning shot in the comics. So I decided to set it up like that would be her play in this story as well... and of course it doesn't work out so well for her. Also, injuring Remy might have come out a bit forced. Though take into account he's struggling not only with his Death persona but also Betsy has been yammering in his head since morning... I think the homme's a little distracted, don't you?

Anyways, a shout out to all of my lovely reviewers and followers. This is drawing to a close really soon and I hope I don't disappoint!

R&R


	11. Chapter 11: Barely Breathing

**Disclaimer: **Not mine, not mine

**AN: **Still thankful for all the reviews! Sorry this update came so late, I caught a cold and my writing has been slow going. But good news, this is not the last chapter! I decided that this important scene needed to stand on its own and the next bit of action deserved just a bit more than a short scene tacked on to a critical scene.

Because guys... this is the scene I've been working up to since chapter one of this bad boy. Yeah, that's right, all of that was just to get to this... So JasmineBella, while I prefer old 90's Rogue I really did have to keep with the comic continuation to be able to write this scene properly. And honestly if it meant struggling with one scene just so this one could come out better and with a stronger impact... I'm all for struggling.

I listened to "Barely Breathing" by Duncan Sheik while writing this chapter if anybody is curious. Don't normally listen to music while writing but this time it actually helped.

* * *

Brown eyes swam into view though everything else kept dancing and distorting. It caused a great sense of vertigo except he had those eyes to lock on to. He smiled lazily, heavy lidded eyes closing again. It was unclear whether a long amount of time or just a little passed when he opened his eyes again. But the same dizzying effect was clouding his head and he could only lock on to a pair of lips.

They were moving and he strained to figure out what they were saying. He could read lips, he knew that. But it was still a strain to work his mind to that point. But eventually he gathered he was being called stupid…

Yes. Yes he was pretty certain he was. Stupid, that is. He felt entirely dumb, especially as he attempted to sit up a short ways and his vision clouded with pain. But even just the few inches gave him the room to find his own hand. With it he was able to grip hers and pull it to his lips. Sure the kiss was sloppy and not up to his usual charm.

But how could he resist?

This time when he went under, Remy knew it was for a long period of time. Maybe just a few hours but that was all that was needed to finally clear his head by the time he did open his eyes again. He grunted through gritted teeth as he became aware of the heavy bandaging around his stomach.

"Well, Gumbo. Guess you didn't keep me waitin' too long. Now I think you've got some 'splainin to do. Starting with why Betsy's gone dark and what the hell you two were doing in Corpus Christi?"

"Matin pour vous aussi, Logan," Remy chuckled weakly, squeezing his eyes shut and leaning forward to work through the pain. Auburn hair hung in his face and he could already feel a sweat working up.

Damn, Betsy got him good.

He took in a steady breath and tilted his head to look at his bedside friend, not entirely surprised to see Logan holding a newspaper in his hands and an unlit cigar clamped in his teeth. Remy chuckled lightly but the look Logan gave him cut off any comments he might have made. His mood wasn't exactly high as it was. It didn't take much to sober Remy up right now.

"What did happen to Betsy?" Remy asked in a low voice.

"She went dark," Logan grumbled, face working itself into a silent snarl. "And slipped away."

Remy nodded. It was exactly what he expected, really. They wouldn't have been prepared or ready for Betsy. It was a wonder that he'd been able to hold her off for so long and not change himself. Wasn't too surprising he'd gotten injured at all. Though Rogue relieving Betsy of her sword was the last thing they needed… It was almost lucky that the Death blast had been aimed at somebody other than Remy.

Yeah, like he really had any luck. No, that blast could have very well killed one of his friends and the woman he loved. He wasn't sure even at the time if he was relieved Cecilia showed up or even more panicked. At least she got a barrier up in time.

And, he noted with a hand to the bandages on his stomach, he probably had a lot to be thankful for. Having a doctor there at a moment like that.

"It's her Death persona," Remy murmured. "It's taken control."

"How do you know about that?" Logan said hurriedly, pulling the cigar from his lips.

Well, here came the horrible truth. The moment when somebody had to learn the thing Remy was hiding. Had been hiding for a very long time now…

"Cause I've been struggling wit' mine."

Seconds ticked by almost audibly. A cold silence that chilled the sweat on Remy's body as he looked down again, jaw set tightly.

"You… what?" Logan growled.

Hundreds of things were probably playing across Logan's face right about then. And Remy didn't want a thing to do with a single one of them. Not the worry which would be one of the first ones. But it would have anger right on its heels because that was how Wolverine dealt with everything he didn't know how to handle. Of course betrayal would be on there as Logan worked out the math on just _how_ long Remy could be keeping this secret. And adding in that Remy had gone and done time again as a Marauder shortly after his stint as Death… Yeah, there was a lot to suddenly not trust him on.

"How long?" Logan growled, long and low.

"I don't t'ink—"

"How _long_, Cajun?" A harsher, louder growl this time.

"Awhile now," Remy snapped, looking up at him with his eyes flashing. "But stronger in de last couple o'days. Bets and I had been having… nightmares of some such. Apparently hers were tougher to fight off."

They were silent again, locked in a duel of wills, each glaring at the other in even measure. They both had good points and neither was willing to let go. It had always been their undoing that they were friends because of their stubborn similarities. Which meant they butt head just about as much as they enjoyed each other's company.

"Sonuvabitch," Logan grumbled. He was giving the end of his cigar a dirty look. Like he really planned on lighting it with his eyes.

"Are Rogue and Cecilia okay?"

He might as well ask. It seemed like a much better topic anyways.

Especially as Logan laughed shortly. "Oh yeah. I mean, Rogue got a bump to the head and I'm sure she's dealing with crap with Magneto but I can't really find myself complaining."

"Magneto?" Remy said questioningly, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, you might have an in, Cajun," Logan chuckled. Glancing over at Remy's neutral yet serious face, Logan decided to explain. "She came rushing out with no word to anybody. Just took Magneto's power and went back to help you. Why doesn't that look like it's filling you with warm fuzzies?"

Remy snorted, not amused. Maybe even especially as a door was pushed open and Rogue stepped into the room, looking around. She hesitated only slightly until Logan got a clue and pushed up to his feet, murmuring an excuse to leave. Rogue didn't even waste time moving across the room the sit on the edge of Remy's bed.

His eyebrows came together, frowning at her.

"Oh Remy, Ah was so worried," Rogue said plaintively, wringing her bare hands in her lap.

Remy eyed them before staring away from her neutrally. "Yeah."

He was entirely certain why he was playing it cool and distant. There was a time when he'd be fighting his heartbeat racing, leaning in closer to Rogue and repeating the sentiment. Manage some flirty remark about what was a little pain when rescuing a damsel in distress. Or how he couldn't do anything less but get his fool ass injured to protect her. Possibly even drop in a 'kiss it all better' suggestion to her.

He didn't think it was all him, either, keeping him from it. Sure, Remy's head was an utter mess and he was just as worried about breaking out with black skin and white hair and going about hurting people… But Rogue? He'd like to say he didn't recognize her anymore. But that wasn't anything like the truth.

Had they really out grown each other all this time apart?

Glossy green eyes lifted on Rogue's face to stare at Remy, leaning her head back. He noticed her hair was down, the white streak pushed back from her face so they ran along the top of her head. Like one big long stripe except for the couple of strands that still fell to hang loose. Add in some curls there and it'd almost be exactly like how he first met her.

Damn he'd been a fool, rushing in halfcocked. Just like every other damn thing.

"Why'd you keep it all hidden, Remy?" Rogue asked softly. "We could have been helping you all this time, Shugah."

He found himself pulling back a little, skin going cold. How easily she slipped right back into things being the same between them. His fingers curled, hands pulling back toward his body.

This just wasn't something he could do so easily. Not anymore.

"I didn't hardly know what was going on," Remy half lied easily. The words rolling off his tongue, slippery and already running away from him. "Besides, it nearly _killed_ y'Rogue. I've been tryin not to put y'through dat."

That was more like the truth but even then… They hadn't even been _together_ when he started to realize he still wasn't alone in his head. Had practically been dropped on his head and then had Magneto chosen over him.

But like he expected, Rogue huffed indignantly, setting her face stubbornly.

"Don't Ah get to decide that for mahself, swamp rat?"

Oh, they were just going the full mile here. Like some big montage of their past flitting between them. Funny how much of it was a damn let down.

"Non," Remy said firmly, jaw tightening. "Cause it's _my_ life, Rogue."

Startled comprehension flashed in Rogue's eyes before she pushed it away. Apparently not willing to accept what he was trying to say. Of course he couldn't come right now and say it. But there was a large part of him that didn't want to make it so concrete. Rather let them drift apart again and… and let it stick there.

His breathing was getting harsher thinking about it, a pressure starting up in his eyes. He almost expected it when Rogue lifted a hand and reach it toward his face.

"What about putting our lives together?"

In a flash, he'd snatched her wrist through the cloth of her sleeve, keeping her fingertips from his skin. Not allowing for a single slip up to occur. He was well practiced at it after all those years of taking risks to dare Rogue into accepting there didn't have to be any danger. Now… he simply didn't want to risk Rogue deciding to take the answers from his head.

There were secrets between them again and he'd rather keep it that way. Moment of time he'd gathered since Rogue left him Remy was quite content to leave unrifled by Rogue's hands. Hadn't quite realized how much he appreciated those moments of being himself as they actually were instead of just biding his time until Rogue came back.

"Dere won't be any o'dat, petite…"

She really was shocked now, her hand quivering under his grip. "What are ya sayin?"

"I can't _trust_ y'Rogue," Remy ground out. Hating the awful truth of it, but there it was. "And why do y'suppose dat is, hein?"

She took in a sudden gasp, jerking her hand away. Looking at him like he'd just slapped her. And he might as well for all the harshness in his words and tone. But couldn't sugar coat the truth. Remy had never been one for it anyways. When it came out, it came out hard and dirty just like how it went down.

The woman sitting before him wasn't the one he wanted and loved. He knew her. Knew her all too well. It was definitely Rogue in every respect. But a Rogue who had become self-entitled. A Rogue who threw herself every which way and damn the consequences. That included not only stealing powers to wade into a fray but blowing Remy off for somebody else.

It could have been _anybody_ else and it still would have felt the same. She concocted excuses in her head as to why it would be Magneto and not Remy. And he found himself glad for it now. If he'd let himself be treated by Rogue the way she was treating Magneto he really would be a fool.

"Is that it then?" Rogue asked coldly, her back stiff and her eyes empty. "Everything we'd been through thrown back in mah face? What was all that about waiting, then, Remy? More o'yaur lies?"

Remy scoffed. "Y'did it first, Cherie," he pointed out in a slight growl. "And I stopped waitin when I started living. Je suis desole if dat didn't fit into yo' plans, Rogue."

Her cheeks puffed up, eyes getting wet again. Apparently she couldn't keep acting out like she didn't care. Like she would pull away from Remy like any other disappointment.

"Ya don't mean any of this," she said emphatically. "It's that thing in yaur head saying all of it. Trying to drive us apart so it can take ahold of ya. _Please,_ Remy."

"Oh no," Remy said, shaking his head. "Remy means dis more den y'could know. And mebbe y'd be so kind as to let Cece in on yo' wait out. Remy'd like to t'ank her and t'inks y'should too while yo' at it."

The woman popped to her feet, hair slipping to fall into her face. She strangely looked like more of a hurt, young girl now than she ever had when she was actually that age. And perhaps Remy regretted just a bit being so harsh. But it needed to sink through… And they both did owe Cecilia quite a bit.

All of that went in the water, though, as the unmistakable sound of glass shattering echoed into the room, followed by a wordless shout from Cecilia.

* * *

**AN: **-ducks away from all the unhappy Romy fans- Sorry folks! I thought maybe when I wrote the first chapter this would have a different ending. But I kept going and developed a deeper respect for Cecilia that I couldn't do it. I had to go with my original ending to this scene. Remy finally dumped Rogue.

So likely two more chapters of this to wrap up Remy's journey. I mean, we still had Deathy Bets to contend with. Please forgive me! I have other Romy stuff to cheer you up if you haven't seen them already -offers cookies-


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